Centuries
by Laryna6
Summary: A collection of drabbles. Anything goes. Some angst, some comedy, crack pairings & crossovers. Closed to requests. Updated with: VergilLucia.
1. I

Disclaimer: Don't own Devil May Cry.

Some drabbles have been removed to go in other collections.

Fire – Jackpot

Just beautiful.

Red and gold, lion color, bravery. Red was red, his color. Blood color, demon color, but still. His color. Mom's color too. Gold was her color too. Her hair.

Vergil's was blue and white. Typical.

Well, he was using a gun just this once, maybe there was hope. And the tentacle blob went bye-bye, under twin shots. Just like they'd played, back when she was alive, before this whole mess started.

No, it started before then.

His powers were red and gold. He liked that.

Stupid reason to like something evil. Whatever. He'd do as he pleased, now.

- Cuttings – Lucia

Pineapple smoothies instead of Coke, with a green umbrella. He and Vergil had used to bug Mother for straws. Lucia was contentedly sipping on her drink while Matier bossed around workmen rebuilding her house. The island was in the temperate zone, no sleeping on the beaches here.

Lucia looked like a surfer girl. She was, she'd agreed to teach Trish.

Identical twins, clones, same thing. Nelo Angelo, Secretaries. Pawns versus players.

She was a nice kid. Listened to her mother. Was that it? He wondered what the difference had been, for both of them. Why they alone had escaped hell.

- Everywhere – Vergil

Nothing here but blood. He fought to drink it when they let him. No human food, no water. Nothing but his own agony, and they took that away, laughing.

He remembered pancakes and syrup, cool milk, apple juice, chocolate cake. Warm hands and smiles and a soft bed. His twin.

He remembered in dreams, sometimes. He would have sobbed when he woke up, but he didn't remember what tears were. Tears healed. Nothing healed here.

He knew he had to keep fighting, but he had to fight everything, and he never won.

Tired. So tired.

He wanted to go home.

- E.T. – Trish

Dante made her memorize the number. The human world was easy to get lost in. After the first few times tracking her down with magic, he'd given her a phone card and muttered about buying a GPS.

The motorcycle had extended her range, and she took off every so often.

She phoned home a lot. Dante would yell at her to get off the line. She'd laugh at him. She'd come back, kill things, learn things, take off again.

Dante was sweet, letting her stay. She didn't know anyplace else to go, but she didn't want anywhere else. Just home.

- Rent – the shop

How hard could it be to repair a building by magic? He needed to learn, Mother's shops had kept blowing up. And he didn't have enough for a security deposit after buying so much ammo. Not that anyone would be crazy enough to rent to him.

He wanted another location, though. Too close to the Love Planet, too close to old friends wanting him to drop by and blow a ton of cash.

He was transforming into a demon to fight, magic was less bad if you thought about it.

He didn't want to do any singing or dancing, though.

- Dogsbody – Cerberus

"Quit complaining. I could have made you the size of a Chihuahua. Or left you in the weapon."

"What is this Chiwawa?"

"It's a really teeny, yapping dog that I could squish with one boot. Now hold still while I get the collar on." Snap. "There we go."

"Why must two of my heads be covered?"

"Bits of ripped-up invisibility cloak. It won't hold up to a close inspection, but anybody that close you'll be attacking."

"You wish me to attack you?"

"Don't even think about it."

"You said there would be pizza."

"Here you go. Good boy."

Tail wagging.

- Ambrosia – Matier

She had done her best to honor the god when he had come to save them. She had been honored to fight beside him, thankful she was the Protector of the island.

Now she was old and crochety, but she remembered how hard it had been to study and train long hours. Lucia was a good girl, never complained. A little eerie how she never complained.

She had cooked for him and carefully dressed (disarranged in the first battle). She had fought hard to impress him. Sighed over him with the others. Unattainable. The folly of youth.

He'd been divine.


	2. II

Disclaimer: Don't own Devil May Cry.

Some pairing drabbles removed and posted elsewhere.

Curiosity - Sparda

He didn't understand them. Why they fought when they knew they would die, why they didn't just surrender, why the war dragged on. Mundus was the strongest, and the strongest ruled. Did not these creatures _know_ that?

Weak, puny little things. They should be grateful to be used by a stronger kind, their short little lives would have a purpose as food.

He was a genius among his own people, it was simple to manipulate them. Simply too easy to destroy fragile alliances.

Hate, anger, fear, he welcomed them, the fools feeding him, their foe. Just dumb animals.

And yet…

- Rede – Sparda

Idiocy. Sheer idiocy. Letting others know your secrets, even weapon techniques! Things that could be used against you, knowledge's power diminished as it was spread!

And this poetry… spending so much effort on just words, when you could be training, honing your skills, working for your survival. And they counted this a noble pursuit!

He would never understand them. They spread emotion like water, even wrote things to elicit it. Letting others manipulate you gave them power, even a babe knew that!

But then these were not his kind.

Perhaps there was something here that would explain them to him.

- Bicycle – Dante

Blown up. Chopped in half with a scythe. Blown up. Shot to bits. Ditched in a pool of lava. He had a motorcycle jinx, didn't he?

This time it would be different, he told himself as he caressed the new custom-made bike. This time he wouldn't be on the next one within three months. Nevan had started ordering them in threes after the time she'd had to fly him around for a week.

He was humming that Queen song under his breath as he looked at his reflection. Unscratched.

A door slammed and a ladder dropped off of the wall.

- Silence – DMC2

"Don't talk, just die!"

Man, he was starting to understand how he annoyed the hell out of the minions of hell. Witty banter was great when you wanted to do it, annoying when you really didn't give a damn about impressing some random demon and just wanted to finish this the hell up and get back.

He couldn't get that poor little girl out of his head. Damn it, Matier had to have known just what would tug on his heartstrings.

Why did he have to have this thing for saving people? Because then he hadn't.

Don't think, just kill.

- Crowned – Dante

"I am _not_ wearing a crown!" Dante made an expression that was both a glare and a stare.

"It's red gold. Your favorite color." Nevan jiggled it in the air. Light flashed off of it. Was she hoping Dante would pounce on the shiny thing? He was half-demon, not a cat or a magpie.

"It's a _crown_." He repeated exaggeratedly slowly, as though she wasn't understanding something very simple. "I am not wearing a crown."

"It's just for one ceremony. They want to thank you for saving them." She loved the islanders. Gratitude, and they _volunteered _to pay. "Your majesty."


	3. III

Disclaimer: Don't own Devil May Cry.

Some pairing drabbles removed and posted elsewhere.

- Antics – AU! For kidavi

"Vergil. You left yourself open to attack that time."

"I judged it was an acceptable risk, father, in exchange for beheading my opponent."

"He got me that time, pops."

"Yes Dante, but you are immature as well. The opponents you will be fighting will have millennia of combat experience over you. You must take your training seriously."

"Forgive me, father."

"Sorry pops."

"Given that you are immortal, it is indeed a good idea to practice your 'death' scenes, but this is not opera, Dante. Vergil, one needs keen hearing on the battlefield. Making chainsaw noises is not conducive to that."

- Terror – Virgilius

You don't know fear until you're trying to feel nothing, go numb, because if you heart so much as breathes they _will_ sense it and they _will_ come to kill you. Or eat or torture you.

You don't know destruction until you've seen a Phantom destroy a legion with one breath. One second they're there, the might of Rome. The next they're being erased, the next there is nothing left, not even ashes.

You don't know death until the third time you're resurrected in a battle and realize you're out of spells, the next death will be the last one.

- Barter – God of Time

The Underworld's bank, complete with security deposit boxes for weapons. Apothecary: the blood of demons bought the means to defeat them. Fed his weapons so they would be stronger and he would survive.

Why didn't they smash the statues? Surely demons used them as well, otherwise they wouldn't be there. Even in Mallet Island, where they worshipped Mundus, there had been statues to this god. Devil. Whatever.

He understood the Underworld's code of honor, but there was so much he didn't know about what he fought. So much no human knew and his father hadn't been around to tell him.

- Technical – Trish

They were fragile: she had to keep a firm grip on her lightening powers around them. But they were great. So many things in the human world were weak yet had value. A contradiction in terms to the denizens of the Underworld.

She learned fast, she had been made to learn human ways and fit in fast.

A world in a box. All the things she didn't know there, a whole world of knowledge about this new world at her fingertips.

She was a demon, she didn't need that much sleep.

Sometimes she was 'surfing the web' until noon, even.

- Hoard – father and son

Sparda had had his library. Coming from the Underworld, he had gathered human treasures (books used to be very rare and valuable). Gathered the minds of humans as Dante gathered the heads of demons.

The cold-hearted demon had learned to seem to care until the seeming had almost become reality. Dante had learned to fight until he was almost as much a pure killing machine as any demon.

Sparda gathered fragile things he could rip to shreds, Dante things he had ripped to shreds. Placed on shelves and pinned to the wall.

Human heads were a far more demonic collectable.

- Instant – Beowulf

Sparda's son had used green orbs to heal his eyes. That repaid the debt. He was in true fighting form now. But he was not used to fight often. Dante had far fewer servants than Lord Mundus had, but the ones he did have were powerful. His Light Gauntlets were only one more weapon among the Air Blade Nevan, Black Thunder Blade Alastor, Storm Blade Rudra, Fire Blade Agni, Hellfire Gauntlets Ifrit and of course Rebellion. And those guns.

Humans had changed. While he had been training throughout the tower out of boredom, they had grown less weak and pitiful.

- Battery – Alastor

That was it. He'd had it. Just one more weapon among many, almost never wielded. He couldn't take it anymore! He could pass for human, he was going to find someplace _without _his big sister treating him like a child and making his boss think he was.

He was sick of being used as a portable generator. So what if he kept shorting everything out? He wasn't a battery, damn it! He was a strong warrior who had been feared by the humans until his defeat in an epic battle!

Enough was enough. He was leaving. Where was his armor?


	4. IV

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry. However, I must claim responsibility for these sickness-induced little amusements.

DevilsNeverDie, thank you for your reviews. I tried to e-mail you a response, but Yahoo said the e-mail you gave doesn't exist.

- Heat – Ifrit for Kidavi

The gunmetal black dragon shifted its position on the bed of coals that had replaced the old cranky heater, its body covered by flickering flames.

Dante hunched down to look in through the door. "Comfortable in there?"

"It is much better than the windy heightsss," Ifrit's voice crackled and hissed.

"Yell out if you want more coal." Dante stood up.

"What I _want_ iss to battle."

"You'll have to take your turn like everybody else."

"Until then I heat your cassstle?"

"Yeah."

"I have burnt down housssess, but never warmed them." He shifted again. "You are a strange Masster."

"Crazy."

- Riddance - Alastor for Kidavi (not _exactly_ what requested… VJ reference)

"Alastor?" Dante banged on the sword. "Alastor, it's your turn to fight!"

The sword was silent, not even a crackle of lightening. That was strange. Dante didn't really think anything of it, however. Alastor had been sulking lately. He'd get over it once the battle started.

The movie first. He'd loved the Captain Blue movies back before he was the one saving the world, and people cosplaying for it gave him a chance to wear a speedo in public. Just because he wasn't looking didn't mean he didn't want to be looked at.

The sword stayed cold and dead. Empty.

- Nightmare – Manga

He'd had that dream again.

Mother running, telling him to hide and not come out. Never reveal himself, they would find him and they would kill him. He'd hidden for years, but now he was finally making a name for himself.

That demon had known exactly how to find him, how to trick him into showing what he could do. Maybe that was why her words had echoed.

Hiding had kept him safe that night.

Awakening, he had reached for his other sources of safety, his weapons. Better than teddybears. The jukebox might be broken for good this time. Damn.

- Train – prompt from Nagia, DMC2. Subsititious is from Terry Pratchett, it means believing in things that are true that no one believes in. Opposite of superstitious.

The ornamental glass ceiling of the train station had been broken by the big ape. Shards of glass were falling now every time some impact shook the building. He ignored it.

The Phantom had broken two back on Mallet, he remembered. And he had sent a bolt of Alastor's lightening through one. And he'd had to jump through a couple since he'd got here, once to save the Lucia chick from some Puia.

Dodging a fist with ease, he wondered if that was another jinx. Glass ceilings, getting impaled, losing motorcycles and office furniture.

He wasn't superstitious, he was substitious.

- Sideways – prompt from Nagia – Trish

Trish looked out of the corner of her eye at Dante. Was he serious about this?

Adopting her into the family. Legally. Having her posthumously declared a daughter of Eva Williams, his mother. That would make her… a stepdaughter of Sparda. Dante's sister.

He was filling out the paperwork and he wanted her here to sign things in a bit.

Part of her felt… amazed. Instead of being a cheat, a fake of his beloved mother, he had cared for her all this time. She was family.

Part of her mourned. He was beautiful, strong, everything a demoness dreamed of.


	5. V

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry. If I did, there would be an anime.

Some pairing drabbles removed and archived elsewhere.

A/N: If anyone wants to give me a prompt for a drabble, I will probably do it. If anyone wants to use any of the plot bunnies in these drabbles, feel free if you mention me in the author's notes. DevilsNeverDie, you definitely didn't flame, I just wanted to thank you for doing an indepth review and respond to your comments. But it still doesn't seem to be working. sighs

1. Pro bono – prompt from Nagia

"I… I live in a cardboard box. I don't have any money." The raggedy man stood there in the shop, wringing his hands, looking hopeful and ashamed.

"Tell you what." Dante reached in his pocket. "Heads, I'll take it for free. Tails, you paint the outside of this place. You said you used to be a painter?" He flipped the coin.

"Yes, yes sir." He nodded thankfully.

"Heads." Dante pocketed the coin again. "We'll come by and see what's been killing your friends tonight. And I'll pay ten dollars an hour if you'll do the painting tomorrow."

"Thank you, mister."

2. Rain – prompt from Nagia

The weirdo with the tumor who flipped his desk and sicced demons on him had come from his brother. That was always bad news. Whenever he showed up, the life that Dante was building came unglued.

Still, he hadn't seen him in a year. He mostly was happy to know that the only living member of his family, the only reminder of happy times besides his amulet and her photograph was, well, still alive.

When Vergil showed up, things got crazy. Dante really didn't like the look of that tower.

This was going to be one hell of a party.

4. Monster – Dante

Now, he mostly liked being demonspawn. Beating up Mundus, for one thing. Saving people. Bloodlust wasn't all bad, just a weapon like any other.

But before…

Mother had been different. Mother was Mother, tougher than he was, and Vergil was Vergil. They'd tussled and rebelled, but not really meant it. Other people…

Part of him looked at them. Measured them. Dismissed them as weak, worthless. Food.

One time he'd gotten so drunk he'd bitten a girl and drank until she passed out and he woke up. He'd hated what he was. He'd have done anything to be human.

Vergil, however…

5. Wiles – the DMC girls

Behind every great man there was a greater woman. Or several.

Eva had kept Dante alive.

With the help of Luce and Ombra.

The gunsmith had taken him in.

Ebony and Ivory killed for him.

Lady made him stop pretending.

Nevan helped him have fun despite everything.

Trish nagged him into thinking about the future.

Lucia looked up to him, so he had to be a role model.

Or Matier would be disapproving of the boy.

Really, where would he be without them? Dante really didn't want to know. Not that he would ever admit this to them. No way.

6. Limbo – DMC3 Underworld

So this was Hell.

The portal had looked appropriate. Red and gold inferno with a pattern that reminded him of a cathedral ceiling. This place, though… where were the flames? The screaming tortured souls?

This place was… dark, and soothing. Aside from the things trying to kill him. A lot of water, well, stuff that looked sort of like water. Sort of pretty, not that he really thought about that a lot.

Part of him liked it here. Felt calmer here.

The place reminded him of Vergil. Of his father.

He couldn't wait to get the hell out of here.

7. Beast – DMC1 Underworld

This place was one giant _creature_. Like the Leviathan he'd killed years ago. Well, demons created a lot of things. Bodies out of sand, flies, puppets, custom designed things like the Nightmare, like Trish. He was a devil's creation.

He'd had to get the heart pumping. They didn't seem to take good care of their home.

A demonologist would be having a field day here, studying this.

He was running around in something's guts. Disgusting. The tendrils kept trying to kill him. Weird immune system.

After he got the hell out of here and killed Mundus, he wanted a _bath_.

8. Underground – DMC2 Underworld

Mundus' domains had both had sort of Roman architecture. Back from when he had almost ruled the world? His demons had learned from the two thousand years that had passed. Mundus' hadn't.

Humans hadn't either. Arkham, Arius… they wanted the power of the gods. Well, gods liked their powers where they were, thank you.

Arkham became that… blob, and he'd left Arius for Lucia to finish off. She needed the catharsis.

This place was different. Less human.

'Despaia' left humans alone if they did the same for him. It.

He'd be pissed too if someone tried to steal _his_ powers.

9. Power – Arkham

For years, he'd been ignored. An eccentric lecturer in mythology, passed over for tenure time and time again. Then he'd found proof. The descendant of the priestess. A woman with greater strength, a purer spirit than any.

Fame wasn't worth Kalina Ann being a _specimen_.

Then he had been diagnosed with cancer.

Nothing worked. His hair fell out, he was mocked… surely there was a cure. Surely. Dark powers existed.

He didn't want to die.

She had said she was willing to die for him, years ago.

They said having demonic power in your veins would drive you mad. Ha!

10. Trust – the legend of Sparda

"We can't trust him! He's a devil, one of the worst of Mundus' men! He's killed so many in cold blood! This is madness!"

"They don't lie."

"But they deceive! He's one of the best at it, the shapeshifter! He's just letting us believe what we want to believe!"

"Believe that there's a chance. That there's a way to save humanity."

"Risking our best men, risking you… the resistance will crumble!"

"We're doomed anyway. A slim chance is better than none. Maria, I'm ordering you to perform this ritual with him."

"It's a trick!"

"Mundus will be the one tricked."


	6. VI

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry

A/N: If you want to request a drabble on some topic (a pairing, a scenario, etc) in a review, I will probably do it. If you want to use a plot bunny in one of these, credit me in the author's notes and leave a review.

1. Obstacle - V/N, by request of Devil Sunday

She was lush, overripe, decayed. Beautiful, but an opponent. She called to his human emotions, she called to his demonic lust, but he had a mission and went on past.

He was young, strong, handsome. Beautiful, but a victim. He did not listen to her, but defeated her and moved on without even claiming her. How rude. How familiar.

She wasn't a mere human. She would have been informative to study.

He reminded her of something. Something from ages past. Someone who had also gone by her without stopping. Someone beautiful. She would have liked to have caught the boy.

2. Swordsmanship – Rebellion/Alastor, for Ariseishirou (pun not her fault)

A Devil Arm's honor was in their service to their Master. Rebellion had been Dante's inheritance, his favored weapon. He had not been taken to Mallet solely because Dante wished to be forced to improve his skills with Force Edge, the sword of his Father, the sword that had defeated Mundus.

Dante had found weapons there, and used them. Among them Alastor, the Black Thunder Blade.

Rebellion remembered Alastor from when they had both served Mundus. An impetuous boy, eager to serve, eager to prove his worth.

He was pleased he served Dante now. Pleased just to see him again.

3. Dishwashing – prompt from ThirdMoonNuitari

Dante hated washing dishes. It was just one of his pet peeves.

After all, he was often up to his elbows in blood, guts, acid, or some unknown sort of evil goo. And the sewers were home to all kinds of things. Alligators were the least of it. So warm soapy water smelling of lemon, or pine, or whatever it was should have been pleasant by comparison. And with his strength, it was easy to get crusty bits off no matter how hard they stuck.

Dante just really, really hated washing dishes.

Anyway, pizza was the food of the gods.

4. Coat – inspired by the new DMC4 magazine scan karribuhater59 posted on livejournal, and part of my Trish-channels-Eva thing.

"Trish," Dante explained. "You know how much I normally wear. Body armor. Leather. I don't sweat, and temperatures don't bother me. Even if they did, my _normal_ outfit is plenty warm enough, especially when the fighting heats up. I don't need a cold weather outfit."

"Um-hm," Trish said, chewing on a pencil while looking at sketches. "I don't think the white fur trim. Makes you look like Santa."

"You're the one who needs to dress warmer."

"Dante Luther von Schwärzung, you are not going to the Arctic in your normal outfit." Eyes flashed.

Dante bit back an automatic Yes, Mother.

5. Striking – A/T, for Devil Sunday

He was practicing again, thunderbolts from his hands blasting away targets on the roof. Trish watched, leaning against the door to the stairwell, waiting for her turn. He was a lot better than her.

Well, he was a couple thousand years older than her, but who knew how much of that time he'd spent in the sword. Trish didn't remember anything before being made and her first orders.

She had guns like Dante's, she had the Nightmare Gamma, and the Sparda. Even so, "Hey, flyboy! Care to show me a few tricks?"

He walked over to her and sparks flew.

6. Fiery - Ifrit & Agni – Alexander - Godslayer request

Trish fanned herself. "Why is it so hot?" The air shimmered like a heat wave, even though it was autumn.

"Over here," Dante called, leaning against Cerberus' icy hide. "Agni and Ifrit are sparring." He pointed with his thumb.

Out in front of the shop, dragon faced golem, no pretence of human form. The living sword whirled and the dragon's breath was an inferno. Finally, the sword flew through the air. "I have lost."

"Yess," the dragon hissed, stilling its flame. "A fierce battle, young warrior."

Agni stood and shook his red hair. "I heard of you, Hellfire Gauntlets Ifrit."

7. Belief - Kalina Ann – Alexander – Godslayer request

They'd met in the library. He was always in the library. She couldn't see a book without thinking of him. He'd thought the freakish eyes that ran in her family, one blue and the other a brown that was almost red, were beautiful. He'd made her blush.

He'd cheered her on at track meets and aerobic team matches, not thought she was a freakish, unfeminine tomboy.

He'd told her stories, made her feel special. She didn't know if she _really_ believed all that stuff about Sparda being real and herself being descended from a heroine, but she believed in him.

8. Mental Machine - Nightmare – Alexander – Godslayer request

Dante didn't know if it even had a consciousness, or if it was just a machine created by Mundus. The seals in the room with it were clearly meant to control it if it went haywire. Good thing he had figured that out. Well, as a rule of thumb, bashing the hell out of seals was usually a good idea.

Most demons had minds. Most demons were smarter than humans, even.

Mundus had a bad, bad track record with holding on to his personnel. Maybe he'd wanted something that wouldn't switch sides on him.

Mundus couldn't even completely break Vergil.

9. Huntress - Artemis – Alexander – Godslayer request (Artemis was one of the ones I left out when

Before she had been defeated by Mundus and imprisoned in the tower, a prize to be won by one of his demons, she had been called a goddess by mortals. She had hunted as her devil's blood commanded. Sometimes she had hunted them, if they offended her.

She'd killed the demons who tried to claim her, until they had given up and created tests that would select one who could survive her test.

Centuries passed.

This one was a human, or partly so. Perhaps she would let him live.

She hunted Mundus' minions now. She had bestowed her favor wisely.

10. Heirs - Nelo Angelo's sword & Yamato – Alexander – Godslayer request

He had tried to fight for the child who had wielded him with honor. He had been defeated.

He watched as the child was given a new sword, one that wielded him. Larger than he was, that sheathed his body in black armor when he held it, that moved him like a puppet, his broken spirit not able to resist.

Mundus had defeated them both. By demons' law, they served him now. Yamato could do nothing.

But laugh when the new sword was destroyed, Mundus' reward for failure. Laugh while Mundus' wounds bled.

Sparda's strength lived on, in his children.


	7. VII

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry.

A/N: I will probably do requested drabbles, eventually. Go ahead and ask in reviews.

Courtly - Sparda/Nevan, for Travithian Axile

His mighty horned head and sharp claws showed his might, his grace as he walked showed his skill. This would be a pleasure, she thought as she appeared beside him, hot breath touching one of his sharp-edged wings.

"Welcome, sir. Emperor Mundus has ordered me to make sure all of his Knights have… comfortable stays." She arched her neck, exposing her vulnerability. His for the taking.

This wasn't so bad a life. She wasn't forced to seduce weak, worthless humans all the time. This, now this was a Knight.

A Knight noble enough to reject debasing himself with her politely.

Twin blades - Yamato/Rebellion, for ariseishirou

"Curse you!" He grabbed his brother's sword as his soul entered it, body defeated and destroyed. The traitor knight merely placed his great scythe in position for another strike, not distracted by mere words.

He was going to fall as well. The Dark Knight was far stronger than they, and even his brother had fallen. Weilding both blades, his and the one that now contained his brother's soul, he charged.

His brother was the one with inner peace, while he was one to rage at fate. They would not even be wielded together now: the knight had his own sword.

Crush – Trish/Dante, for ariseishirou – VJ events reference

He'd hugged her, held her like she was precious that time on the island, their hands tightening around each other like she was precious, like she wasn't just a pawn. She was more to him than a pawn. That was why she had saved him.

But after that, nothing. Sure, he had placed his hand on her shoulder, guided her. She'd even asked for a bedtime kiss and gotten one on the cheek.

She wanted more, it wasn't her fault she looked like his mother, damned Mundus!

He was wearing a Speedo in the dark theatre. So she jumped him.

Draw - teenage friends AU - Person with many aliases request

"Jackpot!" Dante exclaimed, punching the air happily.

"Don't be so excited, Dante. We agreed on two out of three, after all." Vergil resumed his stance, Yamato replaced in its scabbard.

Dante twirled Luce and Ombra in his hands. "Why bother? You're just going to lose again."

"We'll see about that. One…" Dante replaced Luce and Ombra in the holsters at his sides.

"Two, three, Now!" They both drew their weapons and struck.

"Two out of three! I am officially the Quick-draw Champion!" Dante cheered.

Vergil snorted. "Only with guns. I'm far faster with Yamato than you with Rebellion, little brother."

Sword – Teenage rebellion - Person with many aliases request

Why was Vergil doing this? Dante wondered as Yamato and Rebellion slid against each other, their weilders seeking advantage, under the moonlight.

Vergil had always been the one who idolized Sparda. Why was he seeking to undo his legacy?

Dante had always thought of himself as the one who rebelled against his father and his legacy. Heh.

All teenagers hated their parents, he'd heard somewhere. It was normal for them to try to be unlike them, try to make names for themselves, win independence.

Dante hated being Sparda's son. But even he wouldn't go this far. What would Mother say?

Skill - Luce & Ombra – Alexander – Godslayer request

Initially, hunters had disdained guns. They had no accuracy. Crossbows were far better as a distance weapon, with the proper spells.

However, it was becoming rare for a human hunter to _not_ use them, given that human weakness meant a reliable distance weapon was a godsend and too many demons were developing defenses against sword attacks. Given that he wanted to avoid battles with hunters, he needed to seem human if he came to their assistance.

Therefore, he needed to use guns. He took aim. If a human could do it, he should be able to do it too.

Perfect.

Hero - Lady on Sparda – Alexander - Godslayer request

She'd never believed it. She'd thought it was just a child's fairytale.

The legend said Sparda had become human. Well, since his children were demons, that part at least was just a fairytale. She could tell it was a bad idea to ask Dante about it. Dante seemed to hate demons as much as she did. He'd promised to help her hunt them down despite being part one himself.

Her… Arkham had said Sparda had killed a priestess to make the seal. A human woman died and a devil became the legendary savior. Some hero.

Leopards didn't change their spots.

Iron Hand - Ifrit & Beowulf rivalry – Alexander - Godslayer request

Beowulf was the Devil Arm that Dante felt least comfortable around. Sure, Beowulf was honorable, and since Dante and Vergil had defeated him he was loyal to Dante. That whole might equals right thing demons had.

Still, Dante remembered the hate in Beowulf's words back at the tower. So he didn't wander over to ask why Beowulf and Ifrit were having what sounded like a heated argument.

So he was surprised to find two steel blocks delivered to the courtyard one day and both gauntlets demanding he punch one block with each of them to see who the strongest was.

Twins - Ebony & Ivory – Alexander - Godslayer request

They weren't identical. Ebony had been modified for long-range targeting and Ivory for rapid firing. Most of the time they were used in unison and that didn't matter, but one of the things they sometimes talked about to kill time in the holsters was which of them was Dante's favorite.

This was usually brought on by him using one of their specialties. Of course, they had to keep it down because Dante hated people talking when he was busy.

Ivory had made Jester dance, and then Ebony had tried to shoot him on the ceiling and kept missing. Ivory gloated.


	8. VIII

Disclaimer: I don't own DMC.

As always, feel free to suggest any, I haven't turned down any yet.

* * *

1. Some say – Cerberus & Ifrit – Alexander – Godslayer request

When the fire raged or the ice covered them, they thought the world was ending. But it was just their lives.

Town after town, destroyed. Stories were told of hellhounds and dragons, stories told in harsh whispers in towns that hoped they would be missed or towns that had already paid the tiend to hell, sending their children to the Tower so the rest of them would be spared.

They never fought together. When either of them could wipe out a company with one breath, they didn't need to.

Fire and ice were opposing elements. They had destroyed Mundus' opposition.

2. Wanna have fun – Lady & Nevan – Alexander – Godslayer request

Lady's fingers tightened on Kalina Ann. "You're going to just let her walk around."

Dante shrugged. "I defeated her. By Underworld law, that means she serves me. I say no killing and eating, there won't be any killing and eating. She's safe."

"And you think a demon will obey laws? Have honor?" Lady glared at her. It. "Just wait, you'll wake up one night to find her eating you."

Nevan laughed, Dante blushed. Lady blinked at them. Then glared.

Dante was siding with a demon.

Lady's fingers tightened on Kalina Ann and wondered when she would have to use it.

3. Windows of the soul – Trish & Nelo Angelo – for Alexander – Godslayer

He was always in Mundus' throne room. Mundus wanted to show him off, that he'd defeated Sparda's son. Whenever Mundus called her to him, he was there.

Once she understood what she was and what he was, he gave her the creeps. Somehow she knew that under that helmet, blank eyes were following her around the room. As if what was left of him was bound to her. Trusted her.

If she had the same effect on the other one, it would be easy to accomplish her mission.

It was as if the shell knew something she didn't. So creepy.

4. Red red rose – Dante on Eva – for Gryffindorstef

He'd always looked up to her, even if he gave her a lot of trouble. Now, he regretted all those pranks.

She'd been safety. She'd fought for them. She'd died for them. She'd been the one who always loved them even though they knew some humans, the people who knew who they were, hated them.

He'd wanted to be just like her when he grew up. She was strong, smart, and human.

But he couldn't be like her. Because of his father. His father who had left her to die.

Cut flowers didn't last forever, even with plenty of thorns.

5. Briar – Vergil on Eva – for Gryffindorstef

He didn't hate her. He couldn't, even though he hated that he was the son of a human, hated the poisonous emotions within him, hated the fear that he would never be as strong as Sparda. That he would always be weak.

That fool Dante wanted to be human. Why couldn't Vergil have gotten Dante's devil powers, been only his father's son?

The human in him prompted him to gaze into the Amulet. To let Dante have his back until when Vergil needed it.

His memento of his Mother was the key that would make him like his father. Appropriate.

6. Clensing – Lady on Kalina Ann – for Gryffindorstef

Her rocket launcher, even though she'd managed to get it enchanted so it had infinite ammunition, was still a gun. A precision instrument.

She still had to take it apart and clean it every so often, like all her guns.

Not quite like all her guns.

She oiled it and made it shine, checking the engraving of her mother's name to make sure it was still in good condition.

Sometimes she hummed the same tune her mother had while brushing her hair. She'd done it every morning, until Mary had told her she was too old for that.

Silky shine.

7. Holy Mother – Lucia on Matier – for Gryffindorstef

She'd grown up knowing Matier was the whole island's mother, not just hers. She was the Protector, she spoke with the Gods and helped keep outlanders from taking over the island. Sometimes that made her too busy for Lucia.

Lucia didn't mind, but Matier did. She always made it up to her.

Lucia wanted to help Matier do her duty.

She didn't want Matier to have another heir. She was Matier's daughter, and Matier was _her_ mother.

Even if, as she knew now, she hadn't been at first. Matier had chosen her to be her daughter. Even better than blood.

8. X – Lucia on Arius – for Gryffindorstef

He and his schemes had been a constant for as long as she could remember. He killed Guardians, he bribed politicians, he sent demons to make people vanish in the night. It was war and he was Matier's enemy.

Lucia wanted to defeat him for her.

He called her X. Said she was his. Said Matier wasn't her mother. Said she was just a thing, no more. Tried to kill Matier, destroy all they had worked for.

She would kill him for that.

She wasn't the thing. He was. She drew her blades to destroy it.

Her name was Lucia!

9. Mirror – Trish on Eva – for Gryffindorstef

She took the opportunity when Dante was out on a mission to grab the photograph from his desk and lock herself in the bathroom with it.

She looked from mirror to photo and back again.

Their hair colors were nothing alike: Eva's was golden and hers was bronze. Trish's eyes were more slanted.

Eva smiled like she had 'won at life' despite her death. Trish tried smiling like that. Not quite.

She liked her, though.

Dante's mother. She would have to make him talk about her sometime.

No 'weak human' smiled like that. Mundus had been wrong. About them both.

10. Traitor – Trish on Sparda – for Gryffindorstef

Everyone she had met before Dante hated him. He was a traitor, he was the reason Mundus had been sealed instead of Emperor. The reason they, his servants, weren't powerful.

A traitor. Despicable.

Scum.

Powerful scum. That was an oxymoron. Strength was all.

Dante's power was amazing.

Dante saved her life. It made no sense.

Sparda saved humanity. Fought for the weak, who demon law said deserved to die. Maybe, now, she understood why.

She had been weak. She hadn't wanted to die. She'd done it, though. For him.

If Sparda was anything like Dante, then he deserved the legend.

* * *

Please review. 


	9. IX

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry. I do, however, own a plot bunny hutch.

Feel free to make requests, as always.

Some pairing drabbles removed and posted elsewhere.

DMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMC

1. Mesmerize - Arkham on Lady – for Gryffindorstef

She had her mother's eyes, he'd thought as he held the new baby for the first time. It had been a short labor with no complications, Kalina Ann's heritage coming through for her again.

The nurse had to tell him how to hold the red, squalling baby. "She doesn't seem to like me," he muttered, smiling at Kalina.

"She just almost got squeezed to death. I'm sure you were in a bad mood too. The doctors said we can go home in about an hour."

"Shh, Mary." He tried rocking her. He felt nervous.

What if he did something wrong?

2. Carbon Copy - Vergil on Trish – mrs.johntracy

He didn't speak. Speaking brought pain, and he'd forgotten how. He didn't remember, remembering was pain, and he didn't think to. He didn't think, that was worst of all.

He killed what he was compelled to, and that didn't bring any cessation of pain. He was an almost perfectly broken doll.

Sometimes, though, one of the moving things made his eyes follow it. He didn't wonder why.

Black-pale-and-bronze thing. Small. Soft. He knew that shape, and if he had thought he would have known it was from a time that things didn't hurt.

When he saw it, he didn't hurt.

3. Spoiled - Vergil on Nevan – mrs.johntracy

She asked him if he was a Sparda? This demon had known his father? He wanted to stay and ask, but after he stunned her he moved on past. He had a mission. He would return later, finish her off and get her devil arm.

After getting Sparda's sword and power. After killing Mundus to avenge his family.

A succubus. A predatory demon of lust. The though disgusted him. He would never lose his self-control like that, and he knew his father hadn't with such a creature. His heroic father wouldn't have degraded himself like that.

So he didn't ask.

4. Hero's Steed - Geryon - Person with many aliases

Once there had been apples and he would be brushed down and unhooked from the chariot after battle. There had been battle, with loud noises and things that smelled wrong.

There was still that now. That was all there was. No grass, only things that attacked. He had been trained to kill.

It felt strange after he killed them. Like something was changing. He itched.

There was a human there. Was it his master? Would there be apples? He charged the wrong things in between them.

No apples. And it smelled like a wrong thing.

He knew what to do.

5. Omen - Doppelganger - Person with many aliases

Whenever the leaders of the Roman Empire met it would be in broad daylight or there would be torches everywhere.

It wasn't always enough to catch Dux Atrum with his winged shadow or the shadow that moved.

Once in a while, someone would walk down a dark corridor and see someone that looked exactly like them. They would run. It would be too late.

When it was discovered this had happened to someone, the demon would be lured into a brightly lit room and attacked until it retreated to heal.

The more damage, the longer until someone else wasn't themselves.

6. Sapphire - Vergil saves world AU - Person with many aliases

His brother had loved to play with guns. He had loved mother, been her favorite of the two of them.

Now here they were, matching katana, matching skills. Neither fighting like a human.

Neither fighting as mother had fought for them.

They had never been more alike: identical save for their colors, but they had never been farther apart.

Vergil knew that this time, he couldn't hold back. He couldn't let Dante gain Sparda's power.

He didn't understand how his brother could throw everything away to gain it. Throw away his humanity. Steal his half of mother's amulet. He didn't.

7. Ruby – 'Vante's' pov in DMC3:SE, companion to previous

He didn't understand Vergil. Vergil was the one who had always understood. Mother had loved him, but she was weak. She couldn't defend them. She had trying to.

You needed power to protect the weak like father had. Father's power, demon's power.

He needed to take the amulet to get it. He needed to fight Vergil instead of ally with him because he needed a warm-up before fighting Mundus.

He needed to fight Mundus to avenge father and mother. To protect humanity. After all, what could a human do?

Guns hadn't saved mother.

It disappointed him that Vergil didn't understand.

10. Cubic Zirconium – Trish

He was amazing. Such power!

When she beat him, would Mundus reward her? Would her show of strength give her the right to exist even though she was only a worthless copy of a worthless human?

If she failed him… she didn't want to think about it.

He made defeating Griffon look easy. Griffon had taught her how to use her powers. He was way stronger than she was.

She had to sneak attack, keep tricking him. Maybe then she'd have a chance.

Did she want a chance?

His father… his mother… Vergil had failed.

She had to beat him.


	10. X

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry.

I'm going to be doing a Nevan/Trish shojo-ai fic soon for Devil Sunday. Also, if you're interested in Nevan/Lady, there's a fic called Moi Lolita & Red Haired Vixens you should check out.

DMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMC

rorriM - Doppelganger on Dante as master– for Alexander – Godslayer

Most of this wasn't new. He had served devils by obeying them in battle before. Standing there making poses while Dante looked at him thoughtfully was strange, but he understood wanting to appear strong.

He was used rarely and secretly: Dante wanted to keep the ability unknown to his enemies. That was also understandable. Being sent to sit through a boring meeting was also normal.

He didn't understand being talked to. After a while, Dante stopped.

"Lady would think I'm crazy, talking to myself. At least you don't answer back. Something that looks like me and isn't a blabbermouth? Weird."

Knight - Geryon on Dante as master – for Alexander – Godslayer

The new rider smelled wrong, but there were carrots. It ran fast and carried the rider with it. Things were different, but the same.

Some things that smelled wrong it helped attack, others it didn't.

It snorted at the roan one while its reins were held. "Whoa there," the rider said, and petted it. There were other human sounds.

"So the horse is inside your body most of the time?" The demon laughed. "Tell me, sugar, are you hung like a horse?"

Dante chuckled. "Very funny. Now teach me how to ride this thing until the new motorcycle is built."

Honor - Nelo Angelo & Vergil comparision– for Alexander – Godslayer

A man with guts and honor who carried a huge sword.

No matter what happened to him, what shape he was put in, armor that was welded to his flesh while demons ate his screams, he was still Vergil, even when he didn't know he was Vergil.

He still loved his brother, enough he stayed behind to buy him time, enough to suffer to spare him.

The thing that hung around his neck. A reminder. Even when he didn't know of what.

Human? Devil? He would always be her little angel.

Friend? Foe? He would always be his big brother.

Sisters - Nevan & Trish – for Alexander – Godslayer

"Hmm." Nevan sized her up, hands on her hips.

"Hello." Trish wanted to make a good impression on all of Dante's other demons.

"You're an electrical demon, right?"

"Yes, that's my element." She twisted golden arcs around a raised hand.

Nevan breathed and purple and white crackled in the air. "Mundus always did like to use us as assassins."

"Us?"

"Incubi. You and I? We're enough alike to be sisters. Seduce, then kill. Be glad you failed the mission, honey, it gets boring after a while."

They looked at Dante who was taking notes from a phone conversation.

Who failed?

Thunder – Nevan, Trish, and Alastor

"No, no, no." Nevan let out a huge sigh. "That's not how you do it at all. Come here, I'll show you."

"I'm teaching her," Alastor objected.

"I helped beat Mundus. What's wrong with how I use my powers?" Trish placed her hands on her hips.

"That was Dante using them, not you, honey." Nevan sighed and shook her head.

"I took some of your blasts when you were fighting Dante, and you need serious work." Alastor nodded firmly. "Almost no damage."

"Don't worry, honey, a few weeks work with us and you'll be good help to Dante on missions."

Fan – dedicated to moonymonster, my future apartmentmate, and her fan

"It's in here somewhere." Dante looked at the room full of boxes.

"It won't be in there, those're the boxes with the comics, sugar," Nevan informed him.

"Comics? There was a comic series about the Legend of Sparda?"

"That's what it says on the boxes, sugar." Nevan blew dust off them. "I need to read them. Your mother has a great collection."

"Great. More stuff that says how powerful demons are. If there were fewer Sparda fans in the world, my job would be a lot easier."

"Sure you don't want me and your mom around?"

"I was thinking Arkham."

Bear

Dante pushed his way through the burning house. His keen ears detected beams cracking, about to give way. He needed to find him soon and get out of here.

He ducked through the rooms. No, no, no…

Here was the right bedroom. He checked under the bed and dragged him out, carrying him to safety. Mission accomplished.

"I thought he was dead for sure! Thank you so much Mister Dante!" Elizabeth hugged Mr. Fluffy, tears drying on her face.

He smiled. "Don't mention it, kid. Just doing my job." He patted her on the shoulder and remembered the often-repaired Polar.

Chi

Lucia peered through the bars of the cage. It was eerie.

She almost wished they would try to claw at her. It was wrong.

They lay there like abandoned dolls, puppets with the strings cut and no fairy to bring them to life even though she'd wished on the first star, just like in the movie.

She knew it wouldn't work, but she'd done it anyway. She hadn't told Matier, she didn't want to seem like a child.

Children played with dolls.

Lucia didn't play with her sisters.

Lucia looked at the fate she had escaped and loved her mother.

Circle

Dante painstakingly traced it out and painted it with the right mixture of various herbs and powdered red orbs. "What are you doing, sugar?" Nevan asked.

"Ward for the shop. The book says it'll protect against fire, flood, explosions, earthquakes… as long as no one takes an axe to the walls, this means no more repairs."

"You look cute when you're concentrating."

"I have a feeling I'm going to be glad I have this soon."

A week later, looking at the circle glow while the fire burned the motorcycle's gas but not the floor, Dante knew he was right. Again.

Lucky

"I," Enzo informed him. "Am never playing dice with you again."

"It's easy," Dante told him, downing another Bloody Mary. "You just feel where the dots are and practice rolling them a few times until you get the, figure out how much makes them roll how much. There's height too, that matters. And what the surface is, they bounce differently."

"There are dice sharps, but they always do the exact same throw." Enzo downed a beer. "You creep me out sometimes."

"What, because of dice?" Dante felt hurt. Enzo never cared about… stuff.

"Yeah. Is nothing sacred?"

"Gambling's a vice."


	11. XI

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry.

* * *

1. Ashes to Ashes – Dante on Trish's origin – prompt from moonymonster

If Mundus could create a freaking flying whale-thing and the blob that was Nightmare, it had probably been pretty easy to create something that looked human. He had probably had one of those people who were brain-dead enough to worship him find a picture of her somewhere.

A bad picture. Trish's hair color wasn't like Eva's had been. Probably it had been an old photo that had darkened.

Fake human? She could cry. An imitation was related to the thing itself, a copy took on the traits of the original. Magic.

Mundus was an idiot, then.

Mother had protected him.

2. Monster of Habit

"Orange juice? Hey Enzo, I asked for tomato."

"You're always drinking that stuff. It's amazing you haven't turned into one." Enzo slid the glass across the table.

"No, you're the one that's what he drinks, Beer Belly."

"Pizza the Hut."

Dante laughed at the Spaceballs reference. "Good one." He looked at the glass. "You drink it."

"What, you got something against orange juice? It's healthy too, you nut."

Orange juice every morning. Soda didn't stick with you. "I don't like the color."

"So that's why you drink tomato. Because it's red."

"Red's my color." Dante grinned.

Enzo rolled his eyes.

3. Curses

"I think two got wrecked on Mallet Island, and I know three on Vie du Marli. I jumped through two of them and the third got wrecked because of this monkey swinging around on it." Dante ticked them off on his fingers.

"There was that one last week."

"That was Trish."

"You were there, it counts."

"What are you two talking about?" Alastor asked.

"And the ones on Mallet were him and Phantom." Dante pointed at Alastor.

"You were still there, sugar. We're talking about Dante and how he has a jinx on glass ceilings. They get broken around him."

4. Luminite

The rock was glowing. He snagged it and headed off.

Most of him was focused on the Mission. This was it, after all. Mundus was trying to rise and he had to stop it. This was his chance to do what his father had done and kick his ass.

This was his chance to get revenge for his mother and brother.

The rock was not only glowing, it was kind of warm.

Ultraviolet? Hell, it was probably radioactive.

He wondered idly if it would be giving him cancer if he was human.

He'd look gross with a tumor like Arkham.

5. Weapon

"I'm terribly sorry about this, Dante." Detective Daniels opened the door of the holding pen. "He's been reprimanded."

Dante laughed. Good, he was amused instead of ticked off. He charged more if you ticked him off and the department's budget was in trouble as it was. "No, that's okay. Newbie cop, right? Honest mistake. I mean, this thing," he pointed at the massive sword on his back with his thumb, "Is definitely a deadly weapon. Way over the legal length limit, like he said."

"Hauling in even though you have a permit?" He shook his head. "Terribly sorry about this."

6. Photo

The photograph he has on his desk was taken at a sitting four months _before_. There were four portraits taken, one of each of them and one of them as a family.

The glass scratched her photo the night he left for Mallet.

He has a lot of photos, but it's the only one he looks at. He doesn't admit it, but it hurts to look at the one of the three of them.

She sits there, perfectly arranged, Mona Lisa smirk on her face. He sits there with his own version of that smile. Queen and Knave of Hearts.

7. Last thought of a demon about to be killed by Dante, humor – prompt from moonymonster (note: for humans, hell is profanity, therefore…)

He killed all the others, but I will kill him and be rewarded! He is distracted looking at the round flat thing on the floor. I will manifest myself right there, and step on the round flat thing just before I slice him! That would be very cool and he would know who has caused his demise.

The round flat thing is squishy. I will grind my foot on it! See, I have destroyed it as I will destroy you!

He has seen me and knows his doom. Now I will strike!.

He looks annoyed. That's the bang thing. Heaven!

8. Four's a hassle - Sidestep 1 – AU (Minerva and Alexandra are the twin girls Sparda and Eva _would_ have had if he hadn't gotten killed first, in my RPs. I don't plan to use them in any fics)

Eva put her hands on her hips. "Alexandra! Minerva! Get back down here this instant!"

They giggled and climbed higher up the castle wall. Eva sighed. "Vergil? Can you get them down for me while Dante gets out everyone's weapons for target practice?"

He nodded and started to climb. Dante hurried to the weapons locker.

Curse Sparda for disappearing and sticking her with four kids. She didn't know what she'd do without the older two looking after their sisters.

Alex and Minnie fell and Vergil jumped down after them. "Thank you Vergil." She didn't know what she'd do without him.

9. Con-grad-ulations - Sidestep 2 – AU

Vergil looked at his mother strangely as she wiped tears from her eyes. "Is it that important?"

"Not to you, but I know your father would have wanted you to graduate from college. I'm glad Dante is finally walking." She smiled.

Vergil rolled his eyes. "He would have graduated with me if he hadn't taken minimum course loads so he could spend more time with that band of his." He snorted in contempt.

"Now Vergil, it's not that Dante is lazy." she chided him. "He had to work very hard to become successful."

"Getting famous when we have a secret?"

10. Forever - Sidestep 3 – AU

Dante fidgeted in the suit. "This is taking forever," he hissed under his breath to Vergil, who glared at him.

"Quiet."

"Vergil's right, Dante," Minerva whispered.

"Dante's right, Minnie." Alexandra rolled her eyes. "Why do they want to renew their vows anyways? They've been married for twenty-five years: I think the first ones took."

"It's important to them, so be quiet. They'll be done soon." Vergil and Minerva shared a glance. Why did they have to be the mature ones?

Father and Mother smiled at each other as Auntie Matier performed the ceremony. Cousin Lucia carefully held the ring cushion.


	12. XII

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry.

Sorry about the OCs and crossover (the sorcerer Virgilius & the princess of Babylon, his future wife at this point), but they were requested, so… I'm glad people like them. Minerva (goddess of wisdom and warfare, Roman version of Athena) and Alexandra (protector of men) are the names I think Sparda and Eva would have given girls if they'd had girls.

Some pairing drabbles removed and posted elsewhere.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

1. Trophy Wife - Virgilius and his wife – request from Person with many aliases (Virgilius is a Roman magician in a book of legends I have. When I was planning to write a long fic about Mundus' war, I decided to use him as the leader of Rome's magical forces because I dislike OCs and he's real cool. However, since Dance of Sparda is coming out I decided not to do that project. I still used him in _Et in Terra Pax Hominibus_. This drabble is about stuff he did in the actual legend.)

"Your castle is built on eggs?"

"They're actually amazingly sturdy. I also did it because I can."

"Like kidnapping me." She smiled. "My father? Is so going to torture you to death."

Virgilius smiled. "If he can."

"Am I just a trophy? Something like this castle?"

"Please. If I were going to kidnap someone to make a statement it would be a relative of the Emperor of Rome. He's the one who keeps giving me grief."

"Why did you pick me, then?"

"I was scrying princesses: you caught my eye."

"You're crazy."

"Please. I'm powerful enough the term is eccentric."

2. Blur - Beowulf's opinion of Vergil – Person with many aliases request

"That excrement Sparda had two sons!" Those were his last words as Mundus's servant. Now he had to serve the brood of a traitor! Had he still had a throat he would have growled as his body was used as practice!

Fast. Strong. The other had also defeated him.

He was about to fight the other one? A chance to kill at least one of the traitor's spawn? He had aided him willingly.

Discarded as worthless. Now he would have served both of them.

Damn him! Damn his own honor that he had to serve kin of one without honor!

3. Cacophony - How did Spiral end up in the Forbidden Land – Person with many aliases request (Some of the Marionettes on Mallet Island use shotguns)

Lady cursed as she switched weapons, forced to drop Spiral in the process. She needed to use Kalina Ann to get out of this clump of demons.

She managed to get out without a scratch, but one of them picked up her gun. She hoped it didn't know how to shoot…

Damn. Luckily it didn't know how to aim. Spiral had been down to only one shot in any case.

The others swarmed toward her, but the other stayed behind, examining the gun. They weren't that intelligent, right?

When she looked over again the demon was gone. So was Spiral.

4. Fatale – AU, Dante and Vergil as twin sisters request from Alexander – Godslayer

The old pervert was staring at her skimpy black leather bra. Her eyes narrowed. "Hello? My face is up here."

"Is your name Alexandra, daughter of Sparda?"

"Where did you hear that?"

"From your sister. She sent an invitation for you. Please, accept it." And her desk was flipped over.

The demons cut her bra's strap. It was ruined. And her other clothes were all the way across town.

Minerva would blow a gasket if she showed up topless. "This is going to be a kickin' party." She grabbed her coat and headed off. This might be fun after all.

5. Blood – AU, Sparda and Eva also had twin girls before he died – request from Alexander – Godslayer

Vergil told Dante, "This place was our father's home." And he fell.

Minerva ran for the edge, Dante trying to grab her but she followed her brother. They were going to have to fight him without father's sword, but they had to fight him.

They had to buy time for Dante and Alexandra to make it back, even if they stood no chance against Mundus now.

She landed beside him and they shared a glance. "It'll be fun to fight with the Prince of Darkness."

"If our father did it, we should be able to do it too!" They were doomed.

8. Guardians - slight Beowulf/Matier – request from Devil Sunday (Yay for crack pairings! And so sue me, I like subtext. You can't really see either of these lovey-dovey, can you?)

He pummeled the Agonofini and returned to his post beside the old woman.

"Thank you, sir knight." She nodded her head, smiling.

"It is my duty to follow the orders of my Master." He shrugged. Defeating weak demons was nothing. "No need to thank me for what you could do yourself."

She sighed. "Young people today. They think that I'm feeble just because I'm old! I might not be as strong as when I fought beside Sparda, but I am still capable of teaching them a thing or two!"

He nodded. "Old warriors do not get the respect they deserve."

9. Vandal – in memory of moonymonster's laptop, fried by a water balloon this jerk threw through her window

Dante was whistling anything but innocently as he strutted through the city streets.

A cry of 'murderer!' rang through the air and he sidestepped something that was thrown at him. A red splotch appeared on the pavement where the missile fell and he saw pieces of rubber. A water balloon filled with paint?

"Cows died to make that leather coat of yours! Murderer!" Dante stared in amazement at the demonstrators.

Then he cracked up.

"Humans do not have the right to take the lives of other living beings!" The young woman hefted another balloon.

"Thank you, I needed that." Hilarious!

10. Piece/Peace (Sir Lucian Thaddeus von Schwärzung is my Sparda's pseudonym.)

"This is an amazing blade." Mr. Morisato admired the katana mounted on the wall. "Does it have a name?"

Sir Lucian came up beside him. "Yamato, I think." He thought that was the closest Japanese translation. Eternal peace.

"Yamato? How did you acquire it? Was it a gift?" A princely gift. He had never seen a sword quite like it.

Sir Lucian shook his head. "I was given it when I defeated the previous owner in a duel."

Mr. Morisato's eyebrows rose. "You know swordfighting?"

"I am a knight after all, and I was rather adventurous when I was younger."


	13. XIII

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry.

I am seriously considering a female Dante and Vergil fic. There's one I know of in Japanese, with Dante, on Wolfina's site, but I haven't seen any in English.

Some pairing drabbles removed and posted elsewhere, by pairing.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

1. Tyke – Dante or Vergil with bratty kids – for Splendidshadows

There was a tug on his jacket. "Mister, we're hungry."

"The lady just gave you your cookies. Now sit down and be quiet." He hated guard jobs. He hated having to be on the defending end. You had to be vigilant, because only they knew when they would attack.

"But we're still hungry. And those were just graham crackers, not real cookies. We want real cookies." He could almost see the kid pouting as he scanned the corridor.

"Well, too bad. Now don't distract me unless you want to be skinned alive."

"Gross. Can they skin Angie alive instead?"

"Hey!"

2. Glass – Alexandra - for Alexander – Godslayer

She looked at Dante and he didn't remind her of much: she'd only seen photos of their dear, departed father.

The boys looked like Dad and the girls looked like Mom, they'd needed to put spells on them anyways so they turned out human looking at all.

Dante only dragged up memories when he smiled. He had Mom's smirk.

Wearing a red leather trenchcoat, blonde and with a propensity for pyrotechnics. Alexandra was proud of the fact she was becoming more like her mother every day.

Unlike Dante, she didn't need a photograph. She saw her face in the mirror.

3. Shatter – Minerva – for Alexander – Godslayer

She envied Vergil. She was the one who looked like the human. Mother was Mother, an unholy saint, but still, her blood was a taint.

Vergil looked like Father. She looked at him sometimes and imagined Father. Vergil even inherited Father's sword, since he was the eldest.

She told herself envy was yet another poisonous human emotion. Her brother was her brother, and she would follow him into the depths of hell to fight Mundus when the time came.

Still, she knelt on the ground after he'd defeated her once again in practice and vowed again she would be worthy.

4. Cogitate – prompt from rosaferreum

He hadn't needed to think about it long.

It had been a breakthrough, an epiphany, although humans would think it a very logical idea. Humans weren't like demons.

That was, essentially, it.

If humans were the same as demons, then it was perfectly all right to treat them as one would other demons, as one would like to be treated oneself. The golden rule, they called it nowadays.

He, for one, loved fighting for his life, proving he was strong and deserved to exist. Humans, no.

It was unjust.

So he hadn't let the injustice continue. No matter the price.

5. Lamp – prompt from taohuntress

The streets were lit dimly by the modern gaslights. London, the imperial city, the center of the world.

Rome's successor. Ah, empire.

So many thought that the only way to raise themselves up was to make others weak and subordinate. As a devil, he found that repugnant.

One's own strength was one's worth, and to waste energy on crutches?

Still, he wasn't a human. There were limits to how far it was right for him to intervene in human affairs.

They thought they had a holy duty to spread the word. They would hardly let a devil call them off.

7. Sugar

"You ate all the sugar?" Trish gaped at him.

"I needed a quick pick-me-up." He shrugged.

"That was a five pound bag, Dante."

"Hey, you're your own personal generator. Do you know how many calories I burn in a day, running around and carrying all of this stuff?" He pointed to his gear-filled leather trenchcoat. "Why do you think I have sugar, anyways? It's not like we do any baking here."

"Refined sugar is bad for you."

"How do _you_ know that?"

"I saw a dentist's pamphlet."

"I can bite through sheet steel. I don't need to worry about cavities."

8. Misspellings

"Tremble before my might!" The black-robed sorcerer waved his arms in the air.

"Oh, right, I'm so scared. Can you see me tremble?" Trish pointed at herself.

"You are trembling," Dante pointed out.

"With suppressed laughter."

"Why are you suppressing it? This is how you do it." Dante pointed at the incorrect circle and guffawed. "Amateur!"

"I know how to laugh, Dante." Trish laughed even louder.

Dante cranked up the volume too.

The sorcerer, feeling neglected, ordered his minions to attack.

The minions fell over.

Trish fell over, she was laughing so hard.

"This is why you use spellcheck, amateur."

9. Standing on Ceremony

"Please, can we skip the attempt at an exorcism this time? I'm rather in a hurry." He checked his watch.

The knight shook her head. "You are a devil. We must make sure you are still in a state of grace before we aid you."

"Okay, okay." Dante stood there and let himself be sprinkled and the words recited. "Are you satisfied now?"

"Yes." She didn't look very happy about it.

"Whatever makes you happy." Whatever got Dante access to those books.

Vatican II might have made the Catholics stop hassling Dad, but the Anglicans had never gotten the message.


	14. XIV

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry.

Note: AU here doesn't always mean AU of DMC itself, just of my ficverse. I've been trying to keep it so most of the stuff I write is contiguous, eg. Seen the Glory happens right after Beautiful Music

D/L drabble removed and posted in collection.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

1. Rubies - Lucia/Nevan – AU for Alexander – Godslayer

Looking at herself in the mirror, she knew she had been made to look like this. Feeling her ample breasts, she felt disgusted by Arius. Had he had a Lolita complex? He'd created them.

She'd been created as a weapon, and a succubus as well. She knew fighting, but she needed to know what the rest of that meant. Needed to know who she was and what she wasn't going to be. So she'd asked the expert.

She'd learned a lot about two bodies so much like each other. It wasn't what that mattered but who. Sex with Nevan? Wonderful.

2. Lack - Nevan/Matier – AU for Alexander – Godslayer (You know, when we were discussing yuri pairings, even crack ones, this never came up so kudos to you)

"Just another succubus. It would have been a stain on his honor, to break his sacred self-control for a _fling._ Pass the mead."

"A little, love-struck, hero-worshipping part-blood." Matier passed the mead. "I'm old now, he would have had to watch me die."

"Instead he marries a human! Just a human! Weak and mortal! Don't tell Dante I said that, he'll dunk me in Holy Water." Nevan swigged. "What did she have that we don't!"

"She was a very impressive woman, but you're certainly not lesser."

"Thank you. You're not too old yourself. Let's show his soul what it missed."

3. Abstinence - Nevan/Alastor – AU for Alexander – Godslayer

Without breaking their kiss she smashed him up against the back of the storage closet. Finally.

Beowulf had his precious honor, Agni and Rudra tried their hardest (and their swords were pretty big) but they were just kids, the Doppelganger, which had been her salvation back in the tower only came out when Dante willed it and Dante had his mission.

It had been way, way too damn long since she'd had a good lay with another thunder demon.

His sword was pretty impressive, too, but it was how you wielded it that…

"Nevan?" The door opened. The door closed.

4. Cherubim - Lucia/Lady – AU for Alexander – Godslayer

Bright white wings soared above. She was an angel. A Guardian angel, not a demon or devil.

Lady understood why Lucia had tried not to show her her devil form. Dante tried not to use any of his around her either. It was nice that they had that consideration for her feelings, even if she didn't include them in the demons she had sworn to kill. Lucia had a human heart as well. Dante said she had cried.

She'd even been created by a human, wrong as that was. Lady still wasn't sure about Trish.

But Lucia was an angel.

5. Lucia/Vergil – AU for Alexander – Godslayer

"I don't know exactly what you went through, Son of Sparda."

"I'm not worthy to be called that. Mundus defeated and enslaved me. Dante's the true heir, he inherited Father's power, not me."

"You survived with your mind intact. That is very impressive. But I was created as a slave, and I'm afraid of it. What if there is… buried programming? What if I attack the humans someday? What if I kill Matier?"

"I don't know everything he did to my head. That's why I had to get away from Dante."

"I understand you, a little." Her hand took his.

6. Loyalty - Dante/Griffon – AU for Alexander – Godslayer

His new bow was silent in his hands.

He was relieved there was a devil arm. Unless… Mundus had been the one to finish him off. Would this bow shoot him? But then, Vergil had been the one to finish off Beowulf, and Beowulf had had to submit to him.

"You served him loyally, and he just threw that away." Dante shook his head. "I'm even madder at him now, if that's possible." Trish looked on as Dante fired, white lightening arching across the courtyard. "He won't get away with this, any of it." Breaking his servant's heart.

"…Thank you."

7. Ancient Lamp – prompt the Yu-gi-oh card I just got with this month's Shonen Jump

"You have freed me from my imprisonment, mortal! For this service, I shall grant you a wish."

"One question first: what are you going to do now you're loose?" He'd read his mythology, and he knew an Ifrit when he accidentally shot to pieces the lamp one had been imprisoned in.

"I shall rain down terror from the sky, burn the cities of man to dust and laugh, mortal! But I will spare you to watch." Too many teeth. Typical.

Dante aimed. "Here's my wish: die." He could use another pair of fire gauntlets since he'd given his to Trish.

8. Nightmare

If this really was some pocket dimension, why not lock him up and throw away the key? This had to be inside his mind, Dante decided as he fought the Phantom that wasn't like any Phantom he'd seen. You could hardly get the damn things to shut up.

This had to be some sort of mental plane, the enemies representations of what was keeping him here.

Still, it hurt to have to fight Vergil again, now he knew the Dark Knight was Vergil. He was 90 sure he wasn't dead, Mundus wouldn't let him have a quick and merciful death.

9. Steelcage – also a Yu-gi-oh card prompt

Bars… these rooms had once been cages, and he was pretty sure it hadn't been the demons that lived there, no matter that they were here now. It had been millennia, and he could still smell it.

Blood.

Or maybe the tang of iron was just from the bars. They hadn't rusted, but this place was very sturdy, like the clown had said.

He didn't want to imagine what had been done to human captives here. He didn't want to imagine what was happening out there now the seal was broken.

If he lost there'd be nowhere to escape to.


	15. XV

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry. I don't even own the ideas for a lot of these drabbles.

1. Fealty - Change of Heart card – splendidshadows

She'd had to pretend to be on Dante's side. It had become reality.

He'd saved her. She didn't understand it, didn't understand him.

She'd joked that it was just a practical decision. Who was better to serve, a master who treated her like dirt and killed servants when they failed or a sweet chump who saved her even after she tried to kill him?

But if she had been going to die anyway, she'd thought she might as well return the favor. He'd bought her a little time, so she would pay it back. Mundus would kill them both eventually.

2. Hour after hour - DMC3 Bloody Palace – Person with many aliases

Seemed like he'd been fighting his way up the tower for hours and hours. He skipped as many levels as he could, but there were more and more… How tall was this thing? Even bigger than it had looked from the outside. Magic…

He didn't have time for this, he needed to find Vergil and give him a piece of his mind but every demon he killed here was one that couldn't escape to kill people in the city. He would get to the top eventually.

He kept fighting, although time was running out. So many demons, so little time.

3. Clear – DMC2 Bloody Palace – Person with many aliases (I read in a strategy guide that Trish is the best person to do it with. I didn't get that far in DMC2)

Typical. She finally woke up and came to the island to track Dante down (leaving her out of a job when she was learning the ropes, macho idiot) and found he'd gone on a solo mission to hell.

Leaving her to clean up the mess on the island.

Arius' building was crawling with the demons he had created. She was going to have to go through the whole damn thing floor by floor and kill them all so the islanders would finally have peace.

Joy.

When he got back, if she wasn't too exhausted she was going to kill him.

4. Chroma - Nightmare Beta and Artemis – Person with many aliases (I actually already did a Nightmare Beta/Gamma drabble: It's in Functional, which is a drabble collection about the weapons. Check it out?)

"It shoots pink." Trish shook her head. "Give me the mini Nightmare instead."

"Artemis is a really good weapon." Although she'd hit the nail on the head as to why he didn't use it more. Well, that and the fact that it couldn't pass for a human weapon and he needed to pass for human.

"It's silver, too. Black goes with my outfit."

"She has not passed the tests. I will not serve anyone who has not passed the tests."

The Nightmare device, silent, crawled over to Trish. "Well, that settles it."

Trish put it on her arm. "Thank you."

5. Nela Angela - Minerva's fate – Bloody Puppet (My, it's nice people like them… but then, they are essentially female clones of Dante and Vergil, so what's to dislike? I've seen some cool fanart of female!Dante and female!Vergil, too.)

It wasn't until the amulet fell to the ground that Alexandra realized.

She felt like a fool. It should have been obvious. Mirror images of herself and Dante. Identical twins. It really couldn't have been more obvious.

She walked over and put a hand on Dante's shoulder as he looked at the amulet, lost in memory.

He shook himself awake soon enough.

She was trying not to remember too. Trying not to remember the flash of blue light as her twin had disappeared.

Were they dead? They'd had a chance to rescue them and not recognized it.

_I'm sorry, Minerva. _

6. Forest Fire - Nevan/Ifrit – Alexander – Godslayer (Yay for crack pairings!)

The dragon and the damsel.

Lightning struck and the fire raged, passion and destruction. Lust led to the fires of hell, most alluring of the seven sins and she was one personified, he the other. Hand in hand or hand in gauntlet.

She hadn't seen him in millennia, but the coals had only been banked and sparks flew.

Her favorite 'client.' She liked it hot and he was nothing but warming when others had been cold.

She'd been a seductress and when that failed, assassin, but he'd fought on the field of battle, field of slaughter.

Lust, Wrath… and Jealousy.

7. Dream

Sometimes he dreams of when he was a kid.

Back when Vergil wasn't a prick (but he doesn't deserve whatever Mundus is doing to him), back when Mother was still alive (and he had flesh and blood to cling to instead of warm demonic gemstone), back when the only thing he was afraid of was second place. He'd thought he was immortal, just like Father. Thought everything would go on forever.

He'd had a rude awakening.

But no, that's not enough, he has to wake up every morning, sometimes in the aftermath of nightmares. Sweet dreams are even more painful.

8. Knitting shrouds

She pounded on his chest like she'd seen on TV. "Live, damn you! You can't die!"

"He's dead, Trish. Give it up. We got here too late. It happens. This is a war, and people die." Dante shook his head.

"Can't we use a Gold Orb?" She looked at him pleadingly.

Another shake of his head. "His soul is already gone. We got here too late, Trish."

"I was brought back to life! It has to be possible!"

"Trish, you can't save everyone. Trying is another thing that proves you're human." Dante closed the corpse's eyes. "We saved the others."

9. Skilled Dark Magician (Yu-gi-oh card prompt)

Doppelganger technique, Quicksilver technique… knowing something they didn't know you knew was almost as good a weapon as Rebellion. So he kept his best tricks in reserve.

He hated sitting still. There was practicing, but you could only swing a sword so many hours of the day.

He'd had to be dragged to books kicking and screaming as a kid, but he'd blessed his Mother for it later. So he read his Father's books in odd hours, between missions.

Counterspells were useful things to know.

Knowledge was power, and for humanity's sake he needed all the power he could muster.

10. Risen (Apparently Tanaka said in an interview that Dante's becoming more demonic as he ages)

He'd had to learn to shapeshift when his canines grew too large for people to ignore. Filing them down didn't work anymore. When he was younger, teeth hadn't healed until his body had figured out there was something wrong. Now? Instantaneous.

His sense of smell had grown so acute he had to eat organic because he couldn't stand preservatives. He didn't want to admit it, but he didn't really like pizza anymore.

Eventually all his human cells would die of old age.

His father had been a humane devil. He could do it too.

That didn't mean he wanted to.


	16. XVI

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry. You can tell by the way I complain a lot about the manga art style.

Some pairing drabbles were removed to be posted elsewhere by pairing.

1. Flock - AU Griffon Devil Arm. A – G

"His father was a traitor, but he defeated us." Beowulf shrugged. "We are honor-bound to obey him whether we like it or not."

Griffon had to agree. Honor was honor. Likes and dislikes had nothing to do with it in the Underworld. He had been proud to serve Mundus. He had served him for three thousand years, from the start of his rise to power.

All he'd asked for in return was the right to serve him in defeat.

Dante had given him that right. The same for Beowulf.

They didn't have to like it. They were grateful for it.

2. Proof – AU defeated Sparda – For kidavi

He'd failed. His human allies were dead. He'd been beaten within an inch of giving up his soul so he could not fight when taken before Mundus.

He was laughing. Mundus said he was crazy, doing something so illogical.

He had been crazy, and this proved it. Might was right, so if he had been right he would have won.

Humans _were_ just like demons. Kill or be killed, eat or be eaten. He had been right to kill them in Mundus' service.

He wasn't a 'cold blooded murderer.'

He'd lost his honor and his life, but he'd gained peace.

3. Black Ice Fire Hot – prompt from Nemi

The crystal was ripped from deep space, so cold it burned. He could feel the cold sapping his strength and ran, cursing the rigamarole he had to go through to navigate these places. Still, it was a pretty good security system. A human or weak demon would become a frozen statue just touching it. Probably there were protective spells for the ones who were supposed to use it, but he was an invader here, the defenders mustered to stop him. His grimace of annoyance turned to a smile when he thought of Cerberus' reaction to something being cooler than him.

5. Homework

Lucia put a bookmark in the current volume of the _Chronicles of the Guardian Clan. _

_Guidepost for the Protectors _was much more interesting, even if everything was couched in obscure terms. She had gotten used to it.

But even a god-descended tribe had to deal with harvests and births and the treasury of red orbs and all the minutiae of keeping an island from suffering the wrath of the gods.

Arius had killed so many, and with the bloodline already wearing thin…

In four hundred more years, would there be anyone to aid the Sparda who fought the next sorcerer?

7. Birthday

(The various to-do lists were kept on scraps of paper in a pile in one of the drawers of Dante's desk. He'd been raised properly, so the thank-you notes headed out no more than a month later.)

_Lu & M: gift certificate 4 10 thou bullets_

_La: mail order gourmet steaks & boy band cd (is evil!)_

_E: some good booze. V. good booze._

_D: can call station and ask squad cars to pick up and deliver pizzas in emergencies since the delivery boys won't three times_

_B: film collection on DVD_

_A: heads _

_H: those shrimp things. (good kid)_

10. Ice cream

His guns liked rocky road. If he had ever thought about, it would be really weird, but when he had shared his life with so many of them for so long sentient weaponry wasn't something he thought about except when they wouldn't shut up or he was telling himself for the umpteenth time that he had to make himself a real shotgun instead of just enchanting random ones.

Or when he was wishing the Sparda would up and start talking some night. He'd never gotten to know his father. He had his soul here.

He didn't know about the mind.


	17. XVII

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry. I do, however, own a rampaging horde of plot bunnies. Anybody want any?

Some pairing drabbles were removed and posted by pairing.

1. Can - Phantom devil arm – request from Alexander – Godslayer

He smashed his new mace into the ground and felt it shake. The next time, he put a little power into it and a meteor followed his strike. Another, and a pillar of fire rose from the ground.

"I guess you did have something good inside that big body of yours." He chuckled, placing the weapon on his back to use on the next wave of demons. Damn puppets.

No response. "What, no more big talk?"

Silence. "Good." He liked his devil arms to shut up while he was working.

Still, he would have expected something. Maybe he was asleep?

2. Unlucky ones

He'd always wanted to control his own destiny, even when everyone and everything kept saying his father's name was all that mattered, was his nature and his future.

He'd fought tooth and nail but he'd lost that battle. He'd beaten Vergil and won Vergil's fate. Vergil was the eldest son, he should have been the heir to their father's will and powers, wielded the Sparda and defeated Mundus. Not Dante, who hadn't wanted any of it.

He'd lost his battle with fate.

He carried a trick coin because the luck he made himself was the only luck that wasn't bad.

6. D/T

Her body fit against his like it was made to. Might have been. Mundus was a goddamn pervert on top of all the other reasons to hate him. He hoped his son finished him off for good.

She would be a good mother, she'd been modeled on the best. She had powers, too. So even if he bought it… looking at that face brought up memories. Only good ones.

When that face wasn't there… but when she came back everything was right again.

It was wrong, but then what wasn't wrong? He belonged in hell.

They'd make their own heaven.

7. Nelo Angelo/Trish

She had practiced on the one they had. After all, if she could make the broken one respond to her, then the whole one, the one with all his memories, the one who had revered her template more should be a snap.

So she'd shown him the first kindness he'd had in how long? She'd fucked him and he'd screamed, because he had no concept of pleasure that wasn't part of torture.

Dull light in his eyes, and he'd obeyed her absolutely, of course, but… willingly?

And then Mundus had ordered her to break the last fragments of his mind.

8. Mundus/Trish

He'd never been able to comprehend how Sparda, a devil strong enough to defeat him, had been able to tolerate such a useless being as a human woman.

Other devils had had human lovers, but not as _mates_.

He'd sometimes called her into his presence to look at her, to try to comprehend the mind of his dead enemy. Then rage would overcome curiosity and he would become human-sized and, well… it wasn't rape, he was her Master and she wouldn't dare oppose this, but it was all pain, all dominance.

All hate for the enemy whose face she bore.

9. Mundus/Sparda

He had been pleased to learn he never used succubi. The chosen commander of his forces only revered strength. A perfect dark knight, strong, intelligent, obedient, disciplined.

Strength was beauty, and wasn't Mundus the strongest? Wasn't he the fierce prince who had conquered two worlds? Soon all of existence would worship his strength, his power. Soon.

But before then, his knight had come to him with sweet words, asking to be alone with him.

He had woken up sealed, stripped of his power, and alone.

It made him want the knight more. He would have him, own him.

Torture him.

10. Dante/Lucia

She wasn't expendable.

She reminded him of when he was young. He'd hated himself for being inhuman too. At least it hadn't come as a shock to him. He'd always known.

She'd thought she was like him. She'd been proud of being part-devil. This was worse.

So he'd told her what Mother had told him when she'd found him crying once because he was a monster. He'd been worried he would massacre people too.

He was going. She was just a kid no matter how beautiful she looked, she didn't deserve this. Someone should get to stay with their mother.


	18. XVIII

_Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry or anything else mentioned in these. _

_I'm going to stop doing drabble sets weekly after two more sets, so get any requests in now!_

_1. Angel – DMC1 final boss battle – for Lizardios _

He'd thought he'd saved the world. He'd thought he'd driven Mundus off and could finally lay down his burden of vengeance. Finally say goodbye to his family.

But Mundus had ambushed him again. And now he was fighting him without the help of his family.

Mundus was right, he was weak here, and he didn't have his father's sword.

He wasn't going to give up. He would never give up.

But he was going to die here, the true devil's son at the hands of a false angel.

He would outdo his father. He would take Mundus down with him.

_2. Devil – DMC2 final boss battle – for Lizardios_

So The Despair Embodied (which the remnants of Dante's nineteen-year-old self wanted to call Horny) had finally revealed itself. It had been watching Dante battle Argosax, so it would know all the moves he had used against its servant.

It looked like the opposite of Mundus, your stereotypical devil instead of angel. Fiery, horns, etc.

Couldn't hold a candle to Mundus. This was going to be easy.

And the Vie du Marlians called this guy one of their more powerful gods? Arius was nothing next to Arkham, either.

He'd grown a lot stronger. It was time to go find Vergil.

_3. Hero – DMC3 final boss battle – for Lizardios_

He didn't want to be here, he didn't want to do this, but he had to stop him.

Really… he'd lost his brother over a decade ago. The next time he'd seen him Vergil had been a killer.

If might was the only thing Vergil valued then Dante would show him who was strongest. He'd make him listen.

A foolish hope, but it was the one he had.

He'd defeated Arkham for Lady. Now he had to beat Vergil for Vergil. Beat some sense into his head.

He could try, anyways. But he had to stop him. No matter what.

_4. Hollywood – Dante & Co. MSTing SMT:N – for Lizardios _

"Ebony, Ivory, what are you playing?" Each of them was operating half of the controller perfectly.

"Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. It's got demons in it. Only they're not like real ones." Ivory pouted.

Ebony sighed. "We brought it because it was supposed to have a half-demon like you, Daddy, but he's nothing like you. And it's nothing like real fighting. People wait their turns in this."

"And there are shrimp that give you powers instead of Devil Arms to trigger with." Ebony and Ivory wished he could devil trigger with them.

"Is that a pixie?" Cute… demons. What the hell?

_5. Vici I – AU Vergil wins – for Lizardious_

Dante lay pinned to the ground with Rebellion, once again. And once again Vergil had taken the amulet. He let them join as Dante watched, helpless.

The sword began to change in his hands. Vergil could feel the power flowing through him, his Father's power.

He laughed. There had been obstacles, Arkham had betrayed him, but he had still done it. It had worked. "Dante. You asked me what I was going to do with all this power?"

"Yeah?" Dante panted, starting to push himself up the sword. So stubborn, Brother.

"I'm going to kill Mundus and avenge our parents."

_6. Vici II – AU Vergil fights Mundus with Sparda – for Alexander – Godslayer _

"It'll be fun to fight with the Prince of Darkness." Vergil bowed slightly, mockingly. "My Father did it, I should be able to do it to. And," he removed the Sparda sword from his back, "I have his power!" He ran towards the three red eyes, jumped up and transformed, let his Father's power reshape him.

He flexed wings that felt the same as the ones he had seen in photographs of his father before his disappearance, dodged pink spears, extended the scythe, only to be struck aside by a wing.

"You may have power, _human_, but I have experience."

_7. Samurai – Dante/Yamato – for Alexander – Godslayer (Whee, yay for crack pairings!) _

He did a few moves with it, loving the swiftness, the surety. His father had had good taste in swords, if nothing else. This was the one he had actually used, and it handled like a dream.

Vergil had gotten this sword. Vergil was the firstborn son. Dante had gotten one of his father's collection of defeated devil arms.

This was even better than Nevan. Swift, sudden, silken death. Precise and elegant as Vergil himself, all the things Dante envied but told himself he didn't want to be.

He wanted to be a punk. He loved guns, not swords. Right?

_8. Knight – Vergil/Rebellion – for Alexander – Godslayer _

Vergil executed a few quick slices with Rebellion, feeling the awkwardness. No, this wasn't a sword that struck like that. This was a sword that slashed, battered, force and power. Hotheaded, angry. Rebellion, a fitting name.

Yamato meant eternal peace. Vergil knew he would never have peace. No, what he had, what he wanted was blood and vengeance, power and battle.

The overthrow of the Dark Emperor Mundus.

Rebellion looked like he'd imagined Father's sword looked. A broadsword, a knight's sword.

A Dark Knight's sword.

He tossed it back to Dante and received Yamato. He would have Father's sword soon.

_10. Fashion Line – prompt from Nemi_

"The usual," Dante told the bartender.

"I've already got it mixed up." Dante was slid a Bloody Mary. He picked it up and headed to the usual booth where he had a good view of the TV. And could overhear conversations.

He liked to go to bars. Look at the people he wanted to be like but wasn't. Sometimes friends showed up.

The window reflected him. Damn, he looked bad.

No, that wasn't a reflection.

There was some punk kid with bleached hair and a red leather jacket. The hell?

There was another.

Oh no. This was his look, damnit!


	19. XIX

Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry or anything else referenced in these drabbles.

Warning! Set 20, the next set, is the next set it is guaranteed I will do, so get those requests in! I think I might do other sets intermittently, as drabbles are fun/easy/turn the brain on, but no promises.

_1. Tower – AU where Sparda never betrayed Mundus – Bloody Puppet_

The demons and humans-made-demons bowed as he passed. The annual teind had been paid by all the cities in his dukedom: the accounting done they had been sent through the towers in each city to the Underworld, except for the ones the garrisons would feed on. There would be a celebration in Dis, Mundus' capital on Earth as soon as Mundus came from the Underworld.

His dominion would also celebrate with the traditional games. The stands were packed with cheering humans and demons as the fighters were led in to salute him.

Dux Atrum smiled as blood drenched the sands.

_2. Diplomatic – AU where Sparda ruled the Underworld after beating Mundus – Person with many aliases_

He'd dealt with Russia during the Cold War (admittedly as an intern), China, dictatorships, but this was different. "Relax," Ambassador Carter told him. "They're not going to eat you. We'll be dealing with the Emperor's hand-picked demons. Why, I've had stories about people getting emotionally worked up to distract the opposing side during difficult negotiations, since fear is appetizing to them."

Jenkins couldn't imagine doing that. He took his place at the table as the negotiations began.

"Prince Vergil will be negotiating in the name of the Dark Emperor Sparda." He'd seen photos, but photos didn't exude that inhuman chill.

_3. Crimson – Dante becomes the King of Hell and sons princes – Person with many aliases_

He'd thought it would be easier after Mundus was dead, but no. He hadn't believed it when Matier had told him defeating Mundus made him the rightful King of Hell, but it looked like the devils believed it. One after another, claimants had come to challenge him. Bringing their armies. There was chaos in the Underworld and sorcerers were taking advantage of it and trying to conquer Earth themselves.

He didn't want to be Mundus, hell no, but someone had to put a stop to this.

And no, Lucian wasn't allowed to change his name to Lucifer, Prince of Darkness.

_4. Shotgun – Person with many aliases_

One of these days he needed to get an enchanted shotgun made, Dante reflected as he hastily scribed runes of blood on the one he'd found on a dead body. Something like Ebony and Ivory would be great. Slower to fire, but more powerful than those two were.

Really, shotguns came in handy in all sorts of situations. It was a good thing he could usually find one somewhere. And Kalina Ann, Lady's weapon had been really cool. He'd copied her motorcycle, why not that?

Because his devil arms were jealous of each other. Did he want feuding guns too?

_5. Moon – SMT:N, Demi-Fiend (Hitoshura)/Dante – for Alexander – Godslayer _

The moon-that-wasn't shone down, almost full, and the red-coated 'man' stalked ahead, alert for enemies and waiting at the corners for him to catch up and show the way before heading forth again.

It was a nice change from being chased in that deadly hunt, his demons falling one by one.

He'd woken up a demon with a human soul. What must it have been like for Dante, to be a demi-fiend all his life? He was confident, strong. He'd saved his world before. Everything Hitoshura wished he was. He wanted the master to be worthy of the servant's hire.

_6. Technique – Doppelganger/Geryon (Yay crack!) – Alexander – Godslayer _

There were other techniques now, other powers their master wielded, other souls that shared the body with them and that sun-bright god, but at first it had been first Geryon and then he. Sometimes he summoned them, let them out to serve him but most of the time they were ignored, alone.

There were other demons who served him, that he wielded, but they were the ones that saw his soul and clung together lest they be eaten, their powers part of him, their separate existences erased, as had happened to the demon of displacement that the other one had.

_7. Lesbos – AU Minerva/Alexandra – Alexander – Godslayer_

Apparently this was normal for devils. Father had had a twin. Who could understand you better than your twin? You fought with them, against them, and somehow hate and lust added up to the crazy thing called love. Apparently you grew out of it, which was good, there was going to need to be another generation, but they weren't looking forward to it.

Minerva didn't think anyone was good enough for her little sister. No _human_, anyway. Dante had a crush on that Mary… if Alexandra had a boyfriend he would die. No, if Vergil could restrain himself she could.

_8. Fluff_

"They're so soft," Trish marveled, feeding the kittens with an eyedropper as Dante had instructed her. "Can't we keep one?"

Dante shook his head. "Trish, this place gets attacked by demons on a regular basis. It's not safe here for anything that can't survive at least being shot." He fed his own kitten. "Think about what happened to the mother."

"You could tell Cerberus not to eat these. They're barely a mouthful," she pleaded.

"Trish, they're small and weak. Cerberus is a demon." He would go after them.

Trish was a demon too. What did he think she would do?

_9. Water_

Dante surfaced, shaking his head to get the hair out of his eyes. He hated Sargassos.

There had been at least twenty wrecks here in the past year and who knew how many deaths thanks to the damn things.

Humans were slower than demons as it was and even slower underwater. The most that human demon hunters could do against Sargassos was fire depth charges which the chattering skulls could easily avoid.

The local demon hunters really didn't want him here, but had had no choice.

What was he complaining about: it wasn't every day he went to the Bahamas.

_10. Music _

He loved playing the guitar, he'd owned two before Arkham's demons had trashed his shop and they had both gotten destroyed along with his drums. Now he had Nevan, who handled like a dream. He played at bars sometimes, ditching his coat and driving a few towns over to remain anonymous.

If things had been different… maybe he wouldn't have made it as a rock star despite the fact he had the looks and the voice and the talent. He even composed his own stuff.

He just would have liked to create instead of destroy. But his father was Sparda.


	20. XX

_Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry. _

_Feel free to request more drabbles, but no promises I'll do them. Novel editing soon, yikes. _

_-_

_1. Chrome – Ebony/Ivory – for Alexander – Godslayer_

They were almost twenty years old now and they were still little girls. That was what Dante wanted them to be, and he was their master so that was the way things were. They loved Dante, he loved them even though they weren't as strong as all the real devil arms. They knew him better, knew more about humans.

Still, sometimes they wanted to grow up. They didn't like watching _Peter Pan. _

They knew Dante was so lonely without his twin. They couldn't imagine being separated like them.

They looked at Nevan and they looked at each other and wanted.

_2. Gunslinger gal – Lady inheriting E&I – for Alexander – Godslayer_

They'd arrived in the mail. Just like that, no note or visit. Not that she would have wanted to see him like this. She'd been right back then, she knew. He was a devil.

Someday he, like his brother, was going to go home.

She hoped he would kill Mundus. She wished he would come back. Wasn't going to happen, she knew. Still, she wished…

She'd known, when he told her he was growing more demonic as he aged, that one day… he would send her his human weapons.

She hoped she one day had a student worthy of them.

_3. Huntress – Lady/Artemis – for Alexander – Godslayer_

It, she was huge. She covered Lady's forearm and made it difficult to use Kalina Ann in the same fight. Awkward. She shot pink energy. Pink. Lady had left behind everything girlish when she'd vowed revenge.

She was a gift from Dante. A demonic weapon, like nothing else on Earth. She killed demons. That was enough for Lady, who had left behind all other considerations years ago.

Artemis was a virgin goddess, who had loved the hunter Orion but never slept with him. She'd had her nymphs as Lady had her guns. A true, strong powerful huntress.

Lady liked that.

_4. Twins – Lady/A&R – for Alexander – Godslayer_

"They're really light." She waved the twin swords around aimlessly.

"They can carry their own weight. They're fire and air." Dante leaned against the collapsed wall and watched her.

"I don't know about using demonic weapons." She tried to fight an imaginary opponent.

"Lady, eventually there's going to be something you can't outrun, or you're going to get cornered. Not everyplace has high ceilings like that library."

"We can help you."

"Yes, we will be very useful."

She almost dropped them. "They _talk!"_

"They never shut up. That's why I want to get rid of them," Dante cheerfully informed her.

_5. Flare – Dante & Hitoshura Jackpot – for Alexander – Godslayer_

"Okay. Now, what you do is you focus all your power into the shot." Red energy started to crackle around the hand that held the gun Hitoshura had learned was called Ivory.

He held Ebony in his own hands, amazed the devil hunter who had been hired to kill him was trusting him with his favorite weapon. Was teaching him his ultimate technique. This… was beyond the worth of one coin.

He tried to copy Dante, blue-green power rising as his other allies held off Thor.

"On three. One, two, three…"

"Jackpot," they both said, and the battle was over.

_6. Ice – Sparda Emperor AU, Prince Vergil (sequel to Diplomatic in set 19) - companion in Guitar Riffs – for Splendid Shadows _

He sipped the white wine, face as always a perfect marble sculpture. Even though his mother was human Ambassador Carter sometimes thought Vergil made a better devil than the Emperor, who made an effort to act human, although also too… heroic? to be true.

He _understood _humans, that wasn't in doubt. His intelligence was certainly off the scale, the ruling class of these specie made humans look like retarded children. When he was an adult by devil standards…

Vergil was the youngest ever to win the title of Dark Knight.

The Christians were worried about this Prince of Darkness.

_8. Clownin' Around - Jester (not from Dante's POV) – for Person with many aliases _

He'd laughed as he danced under the bullets: he'd known he'd soon have the younger son of Sparda dancing to his tune, just like the elder danced to the tune of his human host.

So easy! Dante didn't even recognize him from when he'd first met Alice, that delightful girl. So weak, so human, so easy.

"May I have this dance, Milady?" And just like that one of Sparda's locks was destroyed. He laughed as he danced away.

Next a gift, to wear him out so they could defeat him. All according to the plan. Really, quite a fun ride.

_10. Identical – the immortal family in the future – for Bloody Puppet_

The trickiest years had been the gap between genetic scanning becoming the universal method of identification, used to unlock doors and make purchases, and cloning for reproductive purposes becoming perfected.

The world's governments were willing to alter their databases so 'Daniel's' recorded DNA wasn't the same as 'his son's' but governments weren't the only people keeping track, and altering _thousands _of databases under the noses of watchdog programs watching for hacking, modern identity theft?

Luckily lifespans had expanded enough they only _had_ to do it twice.

Then the two 'families' had had their beloved deceased relatives 'cloned.' It became 'traditional.'


	21. XXI

_Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry or anything else that might get mentioned._

_And here I am doing more. They're like cookies. Feel free to make requests, but I'm not promising I'll do them anytime soon. _

_1. Sunrise_

He felt about sunrises the way most people felt about sunsets: the workday was usually over and you got to look at something pretty while you played around and relaxed. Sunset was when he had to go to work.

It was weird that humans considered the return of the light to be the most 'ungodly hour.' It was calm and sometimes he went up onto the roof with a bottle of tomato juice or something and watched it before he ran errands or went to bed.

He and Vergil used to start practicing as soon as it was light out.

_2. High Noon (This is the Sparda's twin that gets a brief mention and no name in _Wonderful Journey. _Devil chibis are love.)_

What had possessed his Twin to turn traitor? Before those who had been restive under Mundus' rule rose up and deposed him after his loss of power and huge failure he had done everything he could to destroy the family of the one that had turned against him. He and his parents had hidden but all of their siblings except Magot had fallen.

He'd defeated Mundus! He should have taken the throne, seen to the security of their family, not remained in the primitive realm of light! What had possessed him to abandon them!

He wouldn't have. Not his Twin.

_3. Copper – Lucia/A&R – for Alexander – Godslayer (He actually requested this in the last set, but I misread it as Lady. My bad.) _

She whirled the blades around, trying them out as Dante had told her although she couldn't accept such a princely gift. The souls of demons he had conquered! If she accepted them, she would have something to use to become a devil other than the Protector's amulet, so another could use it, but Matier said she earned, deserved the Protectorship.

"There's one problem with them," Dante informed her. "They keep talking."

"Hey!"

"That's unfair!"

"See what I mean? That's why I barely use them."

If these were not ones he used but a cast-off, then, "Thank you, Dante." She bowed.

_4. Icy – Lady/Cerberus – for Alexander – Godslayer _

Dante told her to put on thick gloves before handing her a strange arrangement of rods and chains. Some sort of weapon? "This is Cerberus," he told her. "You need a melee weapon. Some things are going to be able to get in close."

"I have my guns, and Kalina Ann. She has a bayonet."

"She's heavy, Lady. Really heavy, and you're not that strong."

"I'm strong!"

"Look, women have less upper body strength than men, and you're human. Women are better at endurance and running, which is good. Take Cerberus, Lady."

"Cerberus? Is this a demon?" An icy glare.

_5. Light – Lady/Beowulf – for Alexander – Godslayer_

"They're so light!" She marveled, bouncing a little in the boots and gauntlets.

"Magic," Dante explained. _And it's not because they're a demon, no not at all. _He tried not to whistle innocently. "They'll make you stronger so you can punch away anything that gets in close to you."

She frowned. "That was why you beat me, I couldn't always get away before you got your hits in."

He nodded. "They're not that useful for me." Which was another lie, but Beowulf would be a lot more happy serving someone who wasn't a son of Sparda. "Want to try them?"

_6. Void – Vergil/Ebony – for Alexander – Godslayer_

It had been so long, but his fingers knew exactly where to go. That wasn't a surprise, he could master any weapon, although he preferred Yamato, his father's sword. His father had used guns, there wasn't any dishonor. "I'll do it your way for once."

They'd practiced their special gun technique in the forest, when Dante accepted who he was instead of being a fool and ignoring his true power. Their Father… Dante had copied their Father's guns.

Perhaps there was hope for him yet. "Jackpot."

He tossed the gun back to Dante and felt a momentary sense of loss.

_7. Wind – Dante/Laryna – for Alexander – Godslayer (Aargh! Self-insertion! Run while you still can!) _

"Aargh!" The woman who had appeared banged her fist against her head. "Amateur magicians!"

Dante leveled her guns at her. "You're a sorcerer?" But she didn't have demonic taint on her. She didn't have _any_ demonic taint. He'd never seen that before.

"Hell? No." She snorted. "Although you'd shoot me if I said yes. Great. I'm trapped in an alternate universe. With no money." She looked at Dante. "Would you trade room, board, and access to your father's library so I can figure out a way home for help around the place?"

"How do you know about the library?"

"Well..."

_8. Legend – Sparda's soul in Force Edge dreaming of Legend Mode (This was originally in the Rapture drabbles but I noticed it's outside Rapture's timeframe, so I moved it instead of deleting. Lazy, I know.)_

When had he decided to count?

He did not know why he bothered. Why would he want to know how long his family had been dead, how long ago he had abandoned them to death by falling in battle?

He counted, because there was nothing else to do but go mad.

Sometimes he dreamed, or hallucinated, battling through the tower Temen ni Gru, fighting on Mallet Island. Fighting a lost child.

Of fighting Mundus. That was a dream he relished, to break the cause of his pain. Was he imagining he was called Dante?

One of his children alive? Madness.

_9. Dreams (this one's new, but takes place pre-Rapture, which starts when Sparda met Eva. This is young Eva.)_

The birthday girl, now thirteen, tapped the shoulder of the woman in front of her. "Excuse me, Ma'am, could you please take off your hat? I can't see." It was only the cartoon that was played before the feature, but she didn't want to miss anything. She loved movies.

"Why certainly." What a polite young lady, the woman thought.

Her big sister was back with the popcorn. She took a fistful and waited impatiently for the movie to start. She loved romantic stories with knights and great evils. She just knew _The_ _Legend of Sparda_ was going to be great!


	22. XXII

_Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry. _

_And yet more drabbles. _

_In response to a reviewer who left no way to contact them, yes, woman are predisposed to have weaker upper and stronger lower body strength than men due to evolutionary roles, but genetics are not destiny and the opinions of Dante, for whom all humans are weaker anyway, are not necessarily those of the author. The author is herself a feminist. _

_2. Seven – stupid numbers (Actually, this is how I picked my lucky number. Mine's six.) – for Nemi_

"Okay." Dante looked at the bomb. "In the movies they say the red wire, but there's no red wire. I could do eenie meenie, but I'll go with my lucky number." He counted wires. "One… seven."

"Seven?" Lady asked from a safe distance. "Your lucky number is seven? That's _everyone's _lucky number."

"What? Did you expect six? As in 666?" He shrugged at her. "My lucky number used to be my age. Then everything when to hell when I was eight, so I decided to stop counting at seven." He pulled out Rebellion and chopped the wire.

His eyebrows regenerated.

_3. Menagerie – Dante fighting demons based on the regular requesters (see if you can spot the demon that you, guys! Hint: Alexander means protector of man) – for Person with many aliases_

It was a good thing he had luminite tucked away in a coat pocket: there weren't any handy lights in this room: he couldn't hurt an intangible doppelganger but it could hurt him.

And as if that wasn't enough, there were other demons in the room. He knew the difference between a regular marionette and a bloody mari, and there was one of the goddamn shadows, so he had to keep switching to guns.

Then he was hit with déjà vu when the bastard who had stolen the Sparda from Trish appeared. "Hey, get your own look!" he admonished him.

_4. River_

They said you couldn't cross the same river twice but he'd been wading all across this one, back and forth.

It was getting late and he'd said he would be back quick. Trish was going to be pissed: he hadn't left the address so she would be stuck waiting for him again.

Mother had always hated it when they were out exploring and got home late, or that time Dante decided to run away and join the circus (since he was a freak anyway).

But Trish wasn't Mother, she was her own person.

He still didn't want to hurt her.

_5. Fantasia – Final Fantasy – for The Tyrant Hamster_

Silver hair, angelic… he'd thought for a few minutes that this Sephiroth was the latest shape they'd forced his brother into. Damn Mundus. He got off on torturing the traitor's family any way he could.

But no, this wasn't his brother.

Still, he wasn't a pushover. Damn good with that huge sword. Dante grinned as he dodged. He hadn't had a fight like this in a while.

Jenova? He didn't know any devil by that name. Great, someone else was trying to take over humanity. As if Mundus wasn't enough.

Mundus wasn't enough to beat Dante. Neither was this psycho.

_6. Gryphon Bold – Griffon – for The Tyrant Hamster_

He'd spent two thousand years fighting off those that had come to seize portions of Mundus' demesnes after Mundus' defeat by that traitor. He had done it out of loyalty to Mundus, the only one worthy to rule the Underworld. Griffon had faith Mundus would unite both worlds and bring an era of peace and plenty.

In recognition of his loyalty and strength, Mundus permitted him to be one of the first to go through the portals his worshippers opened.

He would defeat this son of Sparda in the name of his master, Mundus, the once and future dark emperor!

_7. Melted – Phantom – for The Tyrant Hamster_

He was only a lieutenant in Mundus' armies. He'd been allowed to hunt down Mundus' worshippers after Mundus had no more use for them, and he had killed some other humans that had come to the island.

He was smarter than the cannon fodder but he and his fate were of no importance to Mundus.

He hadn't even been told that the son of Sparda would be coming. If he'd been forewarned and forearmed, he might have been of more use to Mundus. Might not have been so arrogant and fought smarter.

No, he had a snowball's chance in hell.

_8. Gate of Ivory – Nightmare – for The Tyrant Hamster_

Mundus had ordered them to kill the son of Sparda, and they knew what happened to failures, so they deployed Mundus' new killing machine even though it was nowhere near completion, so unstable it required special seals nearby to be able to keep itself together when it was in liquid form.

They'd worried he might attack the seals, but changing their mode only made the Nightmare stronger, and they made sure he couldn't destroy them utterly and make the Nightmare dissolve. It was not a perfect trap, but the best they could do on such short notice.

Mundus didn't care.

_9. Masquerade – Trismagia – for The Tyrant Hamster_

Who cared about the mortal? Even if he gained the powers of a god, he would learn soon enough his kind could not handle that power. Mundus would devour him alive.

He played the part of a loyal servant of the sorcerer, but he served his true master.

Anyone that fought the debased ones and the son of Sparda was an ally of Mundus. A temporary ally, a secret ally. Even the mortal didn't know he had another master, a secret master.

The son of Sparda had sinned by fighting against the emperor, and Trismagia would force him to repent.

_10. Eye – Bolverk – for The Tyrant Hamster_

His wolves had found him, tracked that accursed scent. They hated as well, so they had attacked him alone. Foolish, but they were only lesser demons. At least they had known to come back to him and report instead of keep attacking when it was clear they would be outmatched.

He had been a god among mortals, but he had decided to join Mundus instead of being foolish enough to oppose him.

Soon. Soon he would face the son of Sparda, and he would have vengeance for the betrayal and the battle that had reduced him to nothing but bones.


	23. XXIII

_Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry or anything else in here. _

_Requests taken, but I'm not going to promise weekly updates. Warp Ligia Obscura, your other two drabbles will be in the next set. _

_-_

_1. Knights in leather – Minerva's and Alexandra's weapons (Dante's theoretical sisters) – for Alexander – Godslayer _

Cowboy movies.

Their big brothers loved stories about knights from the middle ages. Those were fun too, and they all liked anything about Father, but riding into the sunset…

Mother called them terribly sexist and gave them lectures about the persecution of the American Indians and how these movies portrayed them as savages. They'd nodded, but she also lectured about the knight movies.

She also shot them if they broke things with their lassos while practicing indoors.

Alexandra touched the whip coiled at her hip. "No, I'm not copying Indiana Jones. He's got nothing on me and Dante, right bro?"

_2. Fetish – Lady meets Nevan in Temen ni Gru – for Alexander – Godslayer_

How had the Lady gotten ahead of him? A part of Dante's mind wondered this. The rest was absorbed by the picture.

A red-haired, half-naked (topless!) demoness was absorbed in nibbling the ear of a struggling Lady while chuckling in a way that was almost purring. Lady's white top was ripped off and she was struggling against black coils that looked like the same stuff as the demoness' indecent clothing. Lady was fighting despair.

Dante only froze for an instant, then started shooting to rescue her. He wasn't turned on by someone getting raped. No.

Damn the demon in him.

_4. Expectancy – Vergil/Laryna (Curse you!) – for Alexander – Godslayer_

Vergil, waiting in Dante's office to see his brother, frowned. The new woman (what was a human woman doing here? Surely his brother wasn't stupid enough to keep someone who couldn't fight.) kept glancing at him from the corner of her eyes, perched on Dante's chair with a book. Was the fool getting a crush? He hated when they did that. "You have no chance."

"Don't worry, I'm content to worship you from afar. I like my life expectancy the way it is, thanks." The woman waved her hands desperately. "I'm just trying to get home to my family alive."

_5. Material – Dante & Cloud – for mrs.johntracy_

Dante had no idea where the hell he was. This was the second world he'd ended up in accidentally trying to get out of the Underworld after defeating Horny.

He was stuck until he found a portal, so he went looking for mercenary work. It reminded him of the old days, taking random jobs.

He didn't like the way things were run here so he'd let this Avalanche group hire him cheap, along with another mercenary, Cloud, who was pretty good. They sparred a lot.

They were soon on the run, but hey, he was getting a lot of materia.

_6. Life – Vergil and Sephiroth – for mrs.johntracy_

The Black Angel versus the One-Winged Angel. It would have been an epic battle, if Vergil wasn't half-dead, running desperately to escape from Mundus, not knowing why the guards had disappeared but hoping Dante had done something and Sephiroth wasn't a lost soul, his spirit more powerful than most allowing him to take form in the Underworld, chased and already wounded by hungry demons.

As it was the battle was confused and short. The delay was fatal. The guards took them back to their enraged lord and master, but the new toy didn't please Mundus enough to spare the guards.

_7. Heart – Kingdom Hearts – for mrs.johntracy_

They weren't demons. Killing them didn't get you any red orbs, nor did wounding them allow you to devil trigger. They just didn't feel, Dante realized, they didn't have any pain to draw power from. He was getting swamped with calls, but for every dozen he killed there were a hundred more. The world was panicking and he didn't have any answers.

But the boy with the hunting hawk and hound that appeared and helped Dante fight one day seemed to. His name was Sora, and he didn't feel right for some reason. The animals talked, too. But desperate times...

_8. Shorn – Coatless D&V – for Warp Ligia Obscura_

First the sleeve had gotten all bloody, now Lady had shot holes in the damn thing. He'd spent how much on this thing? And now it was a wreck. He wouldn't be able to replace it soon. The shop wasn't insured. No company would be that crazy. He was broke and it was all Vergil's fault.

Look at him, standing there perfect. Another game.

He'd wreck that coat of his in this fight, tear it apart. That would be the game.

They shrugged off shreds when they paused for breath. Then the clown appeared, and Dante wished he'd fought seriously.

_9. Mantle –_ _LDK mode D&V – for Warp Ligia Obsura_

Dante froze as Vergil grabbed the sword. "What's wrong? Have you finally realized you're no match for me? Now give me your amulet."

"Dude." Dante's eyes were wide. "Look at yourself."

Vergil glanced down at his reflection in the pseudo-water and dropped the sword in shock. He looked normal again. "Father?" he gasped.

Dante seized the moment and the sword. Vergil watched him transform as well when he touched the sword. Dante looked back at him triumphantly out of Father's eyes and devil triggered to Father's true form.

When Vergil took it back he looked less like Father. It galled.

_10. Aura – Super Dante & Vergil – for Warp Ligia Obscura_

As the demonic energies surged through the portal their powers strengthened. Dante found himself devil triggering without realizing it, red light surrounding him. He'd thought he'd mastered this power he was reluctant to use. What would happen after this? Would he trigger accidentally walking down a city street and scare everyone? Vergil, managed, right? So he could control this.

He stayed in devil form to use up the energy, and found out it didn't run out.

He didn't crow over a possible advantage. If his powers were acting this way so were Vergil's.

This must be Vergil's dream come true.


	24. XXIV

_Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry or anything else mentioned in these drabbles._

_-_

_1. Patris – Super LDK mode – for Warp Ligia Obscura_

Near the sword Dante and Vergil felt their father's power fill them. Dante hated it, hated being remade in his father's image, but he had to use that power if he was going to stop Vergil. He had no choice but to remain devil triggered, in his father's true form.

It must piss off Vergil that he didn't look like Pops. Dante envied, him, he'd prefer to have his own appearance. He never wanted to be like him. He looked like Arkham had before turning into the blob, he could feel his father's power surge through him… Vergil matched it.

_2. Futuris – DMC1 mode – for Warp Ligia Obscura_

He'd had that dream again.

It was a good thing he needed so little sleep, there were so many things he wanted to avoid. At least he hadn't woken up Trish crying for his mother yet.

It wasn't such a bad dream. Battling through Temen ni Gru with the powers he'd had fighting Mundus was a cinch. He could even devil trigger into Sparda.

The bad part of it was that no matter how many times he dreamed he couldn't change a thing. Vergil still fell.

He wondered if tomorrow night he'd dream of Mallet Island, of maybe killing him.

_3. Unbinding – Dante captured when Eva was killed – for hecate-19_

He'd thought his brother had died in the attack. So why did Arkham have his amulet, where had he gotten the vial of blood he spilled to complete the spell? Was Dante still alive? Those demons had taunted him with the possibility, but he'd thought it was lies.

Demons rarely lied.

He'd won the sword of Sparda from Arkham. He was ready now, ready to face Mundus. He saw the red eyes in the dark sky.

He saw a figure coming toward him.

He would kill him, he would avenge them all. His brother would have wanted it that way.

_4. Poison – DMC/Resident Evil crossover (I have no knowledge of the games, sorry if this is AU, I did some research to try though.) – for Alexander – Godslayer_

The station was still besieged. Dante could get out any time by flying, but there were people here, cops and the civilians they were desperately trying to protect. Even with Dante's help it was a losing battle.

An entire city. Nothing next to what Mundus would do if he got the chance, but this was an accident. It felt even more wrong.

The brighter ones were starting to get suspicious, he'd shown just a little too much strength a couple times, saving people. Not that anything had managed to infect him, and he doubted the virus would have any effect.

_5. Aphrodisiac – Lady/Nevan – for Alexander - Godslayer_

She moaned -_like a whore!-_, confused, and struggled a little -_need to break free!-_, but it was only token resistance -_she's a demon!-_.

Her guns hadn't worked and then she had appeared right next to her and bit her –_poison!-_. Only a tiny corner filled with shame as her clothes were ripped away, the rest of her gasping and wanting more, more as sure hands touched her like she had never been touched –_have to escape!-, _filled with passion –_I'm being raped!-_.

A hungry kiss, and she responded fiercely –_somebody help me!-, _and if she could speak she would beg.

_6. Eire – Nevan/Laryna (Yet more self insertion? Ah well, if a good reviewer asks they get.) – for Alexander – Godslayer_

"You're hot, but this could never work out. This isn't my dimension, for one thing, and you can't leave Dante. I'm going to get home eventually, hopefully before summer session starts. And I'm not having sex before marriage." She shook her head.

"So serious? It's just a fling. You'll never have any fun if you don't… experiment." Nevan let a bare leg show.

"My idea of fun is sitting in front of the computer all night and writing. Your idea of fun is mad orgies. See? Incompatible." But her eyes drifted to the leg.

Nevan leaned over, showing her breasts.

_7. Sun Sign – DMC/Hellsing (Finally, a crossover where I know the other thing!) – for Person with many aliases_

Integra reminded him of Mother. He wasn't fool enough to say that, though. She'd be incredibly insulted if he said she was like someone who had married a devil.

It might hit a little close to home. Alucard was obviously after her, and it wasn't entirely unreciprocated.

If it hadn't been for the fact Walter had known his father (seemed like everyone knew his father but him), Integra would have sent him as far away as possible, Queen's orders or not. Vampires were one thing, devils another.

Dante wasn't a fan of playing babysitter/bodyguard. But she reminded him of Mother.

_8. Force – DMC/Star Wars (Note: Star Wars was long ago in a galaxy far away, but this is in the far future of our own galaxy, okay?) – for Person with many aliases_

"The mistreatment of your people by the Jedi Order was shameful." The new emperor shook his head under that black hood. Vergil was reminded of Arkham, but let nothing show on his face. "I hope that this new era will bring peace among all the races of the galaxy."

"Even those who are the very embodiment of the dark side of the force?" The Jedi had used their influence to have the part-bloods hunted until they had gone into hiding.

"The Empire follows the ancient practice of separation of church and state. The Jedi beliefs will not control us anymore."

_9. Pseudo – Nightmare/Artemis – for Person with many aliases (Yes, you should be smote. And I'm assuming you mean Nightmare Beta/Gamma?)_

No, Artemis wasn't jealous of the other weapon, though it was used by the new mistress on almost every mission. She was stronger, after all: it was only right she have the honor of battle.

Still, she was glad when the weapon was returned to her place in the armory: same type of weapon as the Artemis, so they were placed against each other.

Neither of them were devil arms, they didn't have the power to talk. Yet she wondered what Mundus' creation would say: she was powerful, but only an infant compared to Artemis. She wanted to teach her.

_10. Stealth – DMC/Metal Gear Solid – for Person with many aliases_

"Come and get me!" Dante yelled, taunting the guards. He charged towards them, ignoring the rain of bullets. He heard the crackling of radios as they summoned help. Perfect.

Now if this Raiden guy did his part he could be out of here in five minutes. He rarely did non-demon missions, but this was in a good cause and the pay was right. All he had to do was provide a distraction so the other guy could get past the security. Piece of cake.

Though he wondered why the guy had borrowed the box the new AC had come in.


	25. XXV

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

_1. Kung Fu – Dante vs. Bruce Lee with Cerberus – for Warp Ligia Obscura_

This guy was _good_. Dante had never seen a human this good at melee outside of a movie. Hell, this guy could kill _demons. _The weak ones, at least. His mother had said she didn't even bother trying to learn melee.

Dante didn't know why there was so much money in an exhibition match against this guy, but he was actually scoring on Dante as Dante tried to hide his inhuman speed.

The thing was, however, with blue orbs this guy had to get lucky dozens of times.

Dante swung Cerberus and knew he only had to get lucky once.

_2. Mystery – DMC1 LDK mode – for Warp Ligia Obscura_

"You!" Mundus' voice thundered in disbelief, "What are you doing here?"

"I have no idea." Sparda shrugged, touching Yamato to assure himself of his weapon's readiness. "My best theory is that this is a hallucination brought on by years of sensory deprivation and solitary confinement in my devil arm. However." Yamato was drawn. "Even if this is a fantasy, at least I can have vengeance in it for what you have undoubtedly done to my family, usurper."

"You think you can defeat me again, traitor!" Mundus' wings flared. The hall was revealed as starry nothingness and the long-awaited rematch began.

_3. No-fly zone – Lady going to Mallet – for Alexander – Godslayer_

The entire population of an island disappearing? Everyone who was sent to the island disappearing? Weird things showing up on satellite surveillance? The hunters called in before her dying quickly?

She wanted to call Dante in, but he had disappeared in the middle of the night without even telling Nevan anything, the irresponsible jerk. One of these days she was going to march him down to Wallmart (being a devil, he should like the place) and buy a goddamn cell phone.

And there was a goddamn big hawk demon coming toward the plane.

She wasn't able to save the pilot.

_4. Sunset – romantic D/Lucia – for Alexander – Godslayer_

Her friends had helped her pick out the red dress, they were at the most exclusive restaurant in Vie du Marli that had escaped the capital's devastation, and Matier had given her the talk.

Not that she was likely to need it. Dante was being a perfect gentleman, dressed in a dark red suit and taking her hand, making her blush enough it was visible even through her dark skin.

This was… he was so kind, and he had helped her, and he was so handsome as well. He smiled at her and oh it was like a fairy tale.

_6. White – DMC/Castlevania crossover (all information from wikipedia article, sorry for errors) – for Hecate-19 _

"When she died she told me humans should be protected and that she would always love _him,_ even though he wanted to destroy humanity." Alucard shook his head and took a drink.

"My Mother's last words to me were to tell me to hide. But she always loved him. He disappeared and left her alone to fight his enemies and protect us and she always loved him." Dante mimicked his new friend's head-shaking and drink-taking.

"At least your father was a hero."

"Hey, you've got these Belmont guys to do the work for you. You're the lucky one."

"No, you."

_7. Plague – DMC/RE4 crossover – for Hecate-19_

Fancy running into the guy again in a place like this! He wasn't happy about working together with someone he didn't quite trust, but he'd admitted he could use some help with the girl. Dante didn't like babysitting either, but he'd probably get paid handsomely for this.

He'd come all the way to Spain because this was really suspicious. An outbreak of demon-like creatures this close to where Mallet had once been? But it was just more human-made monsters.

He'd let the guy know he could smell them way off. What he didn't say was that they smelled damn good.

_8. Tree_

The kids were refusing to come down out of the tree house. If this wasn't the middle of nowhere he would be tempted to leave them there, but the demon had cut the phone lines somehow (good think the dad had a cellphone, which was smashed now) and there wasn't any food. He should just call the cops and have them come out here and talk the kids down, he needed to get back to Devil May Cry. It was getting on to Halloween and there had been times when he, Trish, and Nevan were all out on calls before.

_9. Satin_

The red coat was more then a trademark, it was his mother's trademark, and it was to the point he felt naked going on a mission without it. He was probably getting old and set in his ways, even though he was still a kid as devils counted things, which his devil arms never let him forget.

Red was his favorite color, he wore it even when he wasn't hunting, and he knew he was hard to shop for, but red satin pyjamas? He wore pants when he went to sleep, in case he had to get up and fight.

_10. Medicine_

"Enzo, what are these? I thought you didn't do heavy drugs."

Enzo poked his head into the bedroom. "What? Oh, those are my allergy medications. Quit poking around my stuff!"

"Allergy medications?" Dante picked a bottle up and shook it, looking puzzled

"You know, to stop you from feeling sick? Pollen and stuff?"

"Pollen is poisonous?" Dante poked the handful of pills he'd spilled out.

"Nope, but if you're unlucky enough it makes you sick. And put those pills back in the bottles!" Enzo went back in the closet. "Doesn't even know what an allergy is," he muttered. "Lucky sod."


	26. XXVI

_Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry. _

_Some drabbles to start off my claim on the lj group drabbles 100, and to let you know this fic isn't dead. Please, make requests. I just may not get to them for a while. If your request isn't here, I'm going to be posting drabbles for the pairings D/V, D/L, V/L and D/N in their own collections. Feel free to make those requests here, though._

_- _

_#1 Beginnings - V/T for Gryffindorstef _

No matter how he was corrupted there were two images he clung to: the one in red, and the gold-haired one. One was blood and danger and frustration and love, the other was warmth and light and softness and love.

When he was freed he became fixated on those images, but they were different people now. It was a relief that in the case of one of them that was a literal statement.

She was warmth and darkness, style and love, and she loved the one who had been his brother, once. Dante didn't see her.

Then she saw Vergil.

_#2 Middles - Lady in DMC1 for Alexander – Godslayer _

According to her infra-red goggles there was something on the highest of the floating platforms. She used Kalina Ann to get up there, only to find not a demon, but a devil arm. She had enough time to inwardly curse (she had only two gold orbs!) before they attached themselves to her, boiling the blood in her veins.

The first orb activated and she came to, but the flames didn't die down until she was almost dead, unable to move her arms and legs, rasping through a burnt throat.

It was five minutes before she died. Five minutes of hell.

_#3 Ends - Vergil/Nevan (actually I'm planning a fic with them) for Matt 2-hot-4-u_

She was the first demoness he had ever met, and she was everything he had dreamed. Far superior to any human woman. It didn't occur to him that she reminded him of Dante. He didn't like her devil arm. Father's Yamato was far superior. That was the only thing about her that didn't appeal.

Except for the fact that any attachment was a distraction from his quest for power, and she touched his hated human emotions as well as his devil's lust.

He took Dante defeating him though he was armed with her as an omen and left her behind.


	27. XXVII

_Disclaimer: I do not own anything mentioned in this. Nor am I making money, only reviews. _

_This is the last set of Centuries drabbles! I've kind of gotten tired of doing mainly crossovers with things I don't know, and I've decided to restrict myself to three updates weekly in the DMC section, and this isn't as much fun as other things. So, sorry to those who read it. I've really enjoyed the requests and the responses. _

_I'd like to encourage anyone interested in doing fic but doesn't feel up to doing a whole story do a few drabbles to test the waters. _

_-_

_1. Explanations – Blade vs. Dante, crossover – for Ashley (theme 4, First)_

"What the hell?" Dante sheathed Alastor. "He wasn't human, but no demon that can talk would go down that easy."

"He's not a demon, Sugar."

"What is he, and why was he chasing you?"

"It's my fault, Sugar. I ran into a vampire, and he attacked…"

"Do I have to kill him, or did you already take care of it?" Grinning.

"Piece of cake, Sugar. So chivalrous." She laughed, fangs flashing. "And then I did that. This young dhampire seems to have been hunting that vampire and thought I was one."

"A dhampire? First time running into one of them."

_2. Last (theme five) – DMC/Ninja Gaiden – for Warp Ligia Obscura._

"Damn. Poor bastard." Dante poked the corpse with his sword, rolling it over. "It wasn't a possession. I think I read something about this…" He tried to think, then shook his head. "Anyway, this was something like a devil trigger, only they didn't start out a halfbreed, they got pure demonic power poured into them. Definitely by someone else. The sorcerers at least try to prevent losing their own minds." He stood up. "Better call Daniels about the corpse."

"So this is the work of somebody new?" Trish asked.

"No, but I don't think we'll see the last of them."

_3. Hours (Theme 6) – Dante/Disney Hercules – for Warp Ligia Obscura. _

Man, Dante thought, no wonder Nevan never talked about her father. Having Hades and Hecate for parents sounded cool, and Hecate used to be the patron of sorcerers, which was very proper, if, you know, demonic and evil, but who would have though the guy appointed by the Emperor before Mundus to manage the souls coming from Earth to the Underworld would be such a… Words rarely failed him. This was just embarrassing.

He was counting the hours until he could leave, saying he needed to get back to work, and glancing at Nevan he was sure she was too.

_4. Days (Theme 7) – Yellow Orbs – for Warp Ligia Obscura_

From now on he was sticking to gold orbs. Time travel was cool, being sent back in time to long enough before you died that you could usually do something to prevent it happening sounded damn great. The problem was that you weren't the only thing returned: he'd figured out that they remembered fighting him before they died just like he remembered fighting them. With the dumb ones that wasn't too bad, but with the smart ones it could make things damn tricky. He didn't want to fight the same guys over and over again for what felt like days.

_5. Weeks (Theme 8) – Devil Arms on events of the _Angel Saga – _for Alexander – Godslayer_

Weeks passed, and Dante's servants observed the new one, the tormented brother of their master: Vergil.

Agni and Rudra understood what it was to miss a brother, demons or no. If they had been separated, if Rudra had been tormented, broken… but they had not been, and they would defend the master who had suffered this.

Nevan scolded Alastor, saved on the same mission, and resisted the urge to hug him: he was irritating, but she had her brother back.

Beowulf remembered seeing his body used for target practice, but the master was happy and that was what should matter.

_6. Months (Theme 9) – Lady with Ifrit – for Alexander – Godslayer_

After what she had gone through to win them, she thought they owed her service, so she didn't take them off, choosing to see what they could do besides burn her alive.

They didn't talk to her like Dante's did to him, so she learned their powers over months of use: immunity to fire, making things besides themselves easy to lift, setting her bullets on fire without melting, making them pack more of a punch.

Speaking of punches, seeing a demon fly into a wall from one of hers made her realize what it must be like to be Dante.

_7. Years (Theme 10) – Nero speculation – for Person with many aliases_

He'd thought he had a family, he'd thought his skills came from hard training, talent and dedication, he'd thought he'd earned his way up the ranks on his own, he'd thought he was respected for his own merits.

Now he found that all his life, all eighteen years of it, had been one vast lie. He'd been created to replace their god, after both his sons had rejected control, as the hierarchy's bid for power, for a living god that would obey them and give them absolute power over the worshippers.

He should have helped Dante kill them, not attacked.


	28. Various Pairings

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and fail to even break even._

_This goes in Centuries because it is a collection of various pairings, written for the drabbles100 challenge._

_66. Rain – Grue/Nell_

He hadn't been one of her regular customers before, but one day he'd dropped off his signature gun for a little touchup that could have been handled by anyone. It certainly didn't need her expertise, and he didn't need her rates.

As it rained outside he'd asked about Tony, and she told him the kid was not too bad, but he needed to shoot slower and quit breaking her guns she fixed up for him. Damn kid.

He laughed and said no way Tony would slow down except permanently. She knew that here was someone else who would cry then.

_67. Snow – Alice/Vergil_

Rabi had promised her a prince. The first one had mocked her and the second one ignored her, as cold as what his beautiful hair looked like. She knew despite her new body he still saw her as a child, a crybaby, playing around.

She knew this was serious, she'd show him that she was tough and strong now!

She'd get him that amulet he wanted. He'd respect her then! She'd volunteered for the mission, telling Arkham when Vergil was in the room.

He'd ignored the conversation, looking out the window at a distant peak. He never looked at her.

_68. Thunder – Nevan/Alastor_

There was a perpetual thundercloud over Devil May Cry. Dante thought it was a good thing, even if it was damn noisy, because it kept satilites from keeping an eye on him. It only dispersed between 8 and 10 am, because he was a light sleeper.

Whenever he didn't have something for them to do, Nevan and Alastor were up there in it. That was probably a good thing to, since it kept Alastor from demanding that Dante use him instead of the other weapons, but he was envious that the damn sword was getting more than him. It sucked.

_69. Lightening – Dante/Beryl (Second novel character.)_

She reminded him an awful lot of Lady. The difference was that she didn't have that stick up her ass about demons. The Beastheads had killed her father, but she didn't see him as having anything to do with it.

Lucia reminded him of her, only Lucia was too much of a kid. Beryl had been around the block.

She reminded him of his mother, but not like Trish did. She wasn't a copy and she didn't look anything like her.

She was a devil hunter, a strong woman who transcended her limits.

He teased her, but he loved that.

_70. Storm – Mundus/Vergil_

At first, he had raged and fought, spat defiance at him. He'd silenced that.

Now, he obeyed, empty and broken, any disobedience beaten out of him. He would never rebel. Not like dear Sparda.

He avenged himself upon him, sated his lust for the one who had almost been his mate upon him.

Soon. Soon Vergil would defeat his own brother and bring him the sword containing Sparda's soul. Soon the traitor would be in his clutches.

He appreciated that.

Soon, however, he would have destroyed all traces of Sparda's rejection of him, and this tool would be no more.


	29. Arkham & Kalina Ann

_Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry. _

_This is part of my general series claim at drabbles100. I know, I'm doing them pairing-centric, but that's actually a decent way to cover the games from all angles._

_This is not in the 'verse of my fic _Notes, _which was written before _Note of Naught_ revealed the game designers envisioned Arkham as the descendant of the priestess._

_Arkham/Kalina Ann_

_61. Winter_

Her husband was dying. She shouldn't think that, she could make it come sooner.The chemotherapy was making his hair fall out, but they were always finding and cutting out new tumors. She spent hours in the practice room with Mary, hours attacking the punching bag, but cancer cells weren't something she could fight.

He withdrew into his library, and seemed to be drifting away from her, as though the cold of the grave was already sweeping over him.

She did everything she could for him, tried to talk to him but conversations died and she feared it was a sign.

_62. Spring_

Their daughter was born in spring, the season of new life. Their daughter was on the cusp of Virgo and Libra, the virgin and balance. That made her name utterly appropriate: Kalina Ann agreed to it instantly when her husband suggested as they looked at the red wrinkly baby. They hadn't been able to decide on a name, and he had said to wait and see first.

Little Mary Arkham. Their daughter.

She was so tiny and perfect and adorable, they loved their angel instantly. All the pain seemed worth it, to see their child grow up bright and happy.

_63. Summer_

Their wedding was in summer: the weather was beautiful. Gorgeous blue sky and then an incredible sunset, and she thought blue and red, matching his eyes. She wore white (not a gi, her aunt had been scandalized when she joked about getting married in one), he wore a black penguin suit.

Her parents paid for all of it, he couldn't exactly do so on an assistant professor's salary. A summer wedding so that he was available, not having to teach classes, to help carry things and be dragged suddenly to a bachelor party and all sorts of things. So perfect.

_64. Fall_

He'd told her years ago about his family's legend, that they were descended from the priestess. He'd been sheepish, worried she might think he was making it up, but she hadn't laughed.

That was his last project, studying the source of the legends and his family's old documents. Talking to odd people, occultists with versions of the legend passed down in their traditions, that serious young man he had doing the legwork, Vergil. Some of them creeped her out, but she wouldn't stay in the way of something that gave her beloved husband a reason to live. She made tea.

_65. Passing_

She was groggy and couldn't seem to move. She was tied down? How had she gotten from the kitchen table to here? Had her husband drugged her? That was going too far, even if he was trying to revive their dead sex life with some roleplay. She'd used to be the amazon…

She finally managed to open her eyes. Well, this was an elaborate set… she tried to speak through the gag, but she could only make tiny, indistinct sounds. The drug must still be working. At first she didn't see him.

Then she saw him and the sharp knife.


	30. Dante & Lucia

_Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry, nor do I make money._

_Dante/Lucia – _

_91. Birthday_

Her birthday is the day a guardian clan raiding party found her about to be used as a human sacrifice. She was physically about a year then. She grew.

She was eight when she killed her Arius, that bastard, which kind of explains a lot. Sometimes Dante feels like he's robbing the cradle, but then he thinks of Pops and a twenty-four year difference doesn't seem so bad. He's going to hold off until she's legal, though. The issue is legal where. Lucia's pushing for Vie du Marli's law, where they sometimes get married at twelve back in the hills.

_92. Christmas_

They celebrate the solstices on Vie du Marli. Not to mention that in the southern hemisphere the seasons get flipped and the holy calendar with them, so he got a lot of odd looks when he showed up with presents. Lucia liked the surfboard.

Mistletoe, however, was an old pagan thing and therefore acceptable. Lucia e-mailed him about that and he made sure to bring some during the winter solstice. Matier chuckled like the matchmaker she was.

At least no one here makes Santa jokes about his hair and outfit, given they despised the guy and the whole Christian/commercial tradition.

_93. Thanksgiving_

He was never into Thanksgiving, it rubbed in that he didn't have a family, and now he has one they don't celebrate it. Lucia is a really curious girl, though, likes to find out about everything, and invited herself to Devil May Cry to celebrate it with him and the demons once. She cooked a traditional island meal, slightly burnt.

He knew the idea was to show that she could be a great wife. It was really cute, how she was trying so hard. Sure, he had women throwing themselves at him, but she was all… unassuming but hopeful… cute.

_94. Solstice_

In the summer on the island there's a lot of really rowdy stuff involving mass quantities of rum and if you can't get laid you're not trying. The guardian clan encourages the kids to have a lot of sex: they need those kids, with their death rate from all the sorcerers around nowadays.

He knows Lucia's not a virgin, and hell knows he isn't, but he wasn't exactly expecting her to try to get him drunk enough to get her laid. When he guesses that's what's happening, she blushes and confesses it was her friends' idea. And a good one.

_95. New Year _

She's not a fraction of his age anymore, just a small fraction younger than him. She's at his side at the party that gets bigger every year, kids and greatsgrandkids and hunters and descendents of anyone who's ever been involved with his crazy life.

They're dressed up in their old outfits for old time's sake: it's a costume party and damn but it feels like a costume. He's getting old, though he doesn't look or feel it, and neither does she.

She's just as young as she ever was, and as happy as he can make her. Nice bright smile.


	31. Sparda & Eva

_Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry. _

_For some reason, the Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe technique is directing me to my favorite pairings tonight… These Sparda/Eva drabbles are all AU of each other. _

_71. Broken _

She ran out into the night.

Not only was her husband an, an inhuman thing, but he'd lived a lie. Instead of trusting her with his secret, he'd married her, lived with her for years without telling her. He only told her now, when she'd demanded why he was making her do all these weird things while she was pregnant with two little monsters.

The idea of an abortion flickered through her mind, but she couldn't do that. Maybe she should.

She loved him too much. She just wished she knew if a devil was capable of loving her back.

_72. Fixed_

She knew she had to be dead. She didn't hurt anymore. She'd been attacked on the way home by these monsters and they'd toyed with her, slashes that opened wounds but didn't finish her off, letting her try to run and knocking down until she hit her head against the wall…

She was in a soft bed in a well-lit room, judging from the light she could see though her eyelids. She opened them.

"Are you all right?" She heard a concerned voice, turned, and beheld her savior.

"Are you an angel?" He was divine.

He laughed. "No, anything but."

_73. Light_

She was no longer fit to be a priestess, she now loved one instead of all, but she was not saddened to give up her calling, because what higher calling was there than to love and serve a god?

She wasn't worthy of his favor, but the savior of humanity deserved whatever he wanted and he wanted her. It made her so happy she could hardly contain it despite her training in maintaining calm.

She prayed that she would be able to make him as happy as she bowed her head against his shoulder as his arms wrapped around her.

_74. Dark_

She couldn't see a thing, but she knew he was out there, picking his moment. She put down the bow: it wouldn't serve her now, and grasped the short sword that had belonged to her now-dead brother.

She shouldn't have gone out after dark, but her father was coughing up blood from the wound that had made them send him home.

The voice had said, behind her, "Run, human." That was bad. The ones that could talk were the dangerous ones.

Suddenly, there was a loud clash of weapons behind her. She had to help whoever was fighting the demon!

_75. Shattered_

Her laugh had a brittle edge now, and she felt like she was just going through the motions. What was the point anymore, now Sparda was dead they would all be killed soon. She was looking forward to it somewhat, though she knew in her sane moments she shouldn't: Hell wouldn't allow them to be together.

Dante and Vergil glanced at her and then at each other when they thought she wouldn't notice. They were worried about her. She shouldn't make them worry about her, they needed her to be strong for them now their father was gone. Only… Just…


	32. Mundus & Sparda

_Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry, nor do I make money from this._

_Mundus/Sparda – _

_81. Blind_

What a glorious sight.

Babylon now lay in ruins, his forces combing them to find the last humans in hiding to be sorted into slaves and food. This loss would cause the other human realms that resisted their new master to lose heart, as well.

His forces had performed flawlessly, and he himself had dealt the blow that ended the siege.

His emperor, Mundus, would be well pleased.

The thought of that inflamed him as much as the blood covering the ground beneath him as he flew far above the equally red flames. Soon that light also would be extinguished.

_82. Deaf_

He made a note to have the tongues of food be cut out. Screaming allowed them to vent their emotions and calm down, making them less tasty, and speaking also reassured them. Not to mention allowing them to form their useless plots.

For now, though, one of the humans he was carrying to Mundus was screaming, and it was getting on his nerves. He would kill that one first, he thought.

They were all handsome by human standards. He wouldn't have picked ugly ones to be used in their play, of course not. His beloved Dark Emperor deserved the best.

_83. Lost_

He snarled quietly, casting the spell to undo the curse that kept his wounds from healing. How could a _human_ have harmed him? The wounds hurt far more than they should, as well: it had been hard to focus during the rest of their fight.

At least she hadn't landed any blows after he had stopped underestimating her. Perhaps it was for the best. Most humans were so weak he had begun to grow soft.

He would have to track her down and avenge this loss.

Before Mundus found out about this and was displeased enough to cease their matings.

_84. Found_

Know your enemy. But humans were so confusing. They were weak, and that made them worthless except as food, but… That wasn't all.

The mortals were so different, though in some areas they were the same: a human under the influence of the dark emotions would act as a demon. Yet, even in the midst of this war, the slaves comforted each other, they sacrificed themselves for each other and not in the way a servant did for their master… He had to find out what made them tick, so that it would stop distracting him during times like this.

_85. Missing_

"Where is my general?" Mundus enquired as he landed on top of the tower.

"I am sorry, Emperor, but he left on a scouting mission." The poor demon hoped to escape being eaten.

"Very well. Bring him to me at once when he returns." The demon sighed with relief as Mundus returned through the portal.

Sparda would be sorry he had missed the Emperor. Lucky knight, to have such a powerful and dangerous mate. Where in the human realm did he keep vanishing to? What could be more intriguing than a chance to mate the most powerful devil in existence?

_86. Choices_

"You seem distracted."

"It is nothing, Emperor. Merely the battle plans, it is hard to put them from my mind when I spend so much time immersed in them."

"Well, all that is over now. The humans and their pitiful resistance will trouble you no more. Lesser devils can handle keeping order among the slaves, while you are here by my side."

Sparda said nothing, merely shifted to attack stance. Mundus was too excited to wonder at the lack of response.

Later, he realized that even the traitor hadn't wanted to lie: he had made his choice: against his lover.


	33. Vergil & Nevan

_Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, Capcom does. _

_More drabbles for the livejournal group drabbles100. My claim is Devil May Cry general series. _

_Six visions of Vergil/Nevan – _

_35. Sixth Sense_

He could feel the presence of a strong demon through the door. The fact that unlocking the door required ambrosia was a rather unsubtle hint as to what type of demon. The fact he'd done hid research told him the name of the demon.

A succubus wouldn't be too difficult an opponent. Maybe for Dante, who lacked anything resembling self-control.

She was certainly beautiful, but he had known she would be: it was her trade, after all. But he had underestimated the attraction of a woman of his own kind.

Still, he had a mission.

He still felt lingering regret.

_36. Smell_

The room was impregnated with the smell of her after two thousand years of her presence. The juice of the fruit also scented his gloves. A rich, heady, sweet smell without being cloying and annoying as human perfumes and human women were.

A better place to wait for his annoying brother than the cold, windy heights, and far better company than that annoying Arkham.

She was shameless in her dress: no need for human shame or propriety. He admired her, as was her due, and she found him admirable.

Perhaps there were more scents than that of blood to enjoy.

_37. Sound_

That racket! He'd always hated rock music, the kind Dante had adored. He'd been more interested in the Classical Father had enjoyed. To use a devil arm for such human music, such chaotic caterwauling!

Such a waste of such a powerful instrument! His own instrument was the piano, but he could appreciate the perfection and power of the notes, even under Dante's rough handling. What could it do in the hands of a master, in the hands of its own soul?

When he defeated Dante, found Father's sword and had time to spare he would find out, he promised himself.

_38. Touch_

Her flesh was smooth and soft, with no trace of animal hairs and no need for shaving. Her hands caressed his own skin, and he winced as he felt, sensitive as he was, her fingers catch on hairs. Thankfully she did not pause or show distaste. She must be used to humans, having seduced them to Mundus' service, he thought with the part of his mind that withdrew from this experience, observing and ready to reach for a weapon even though Nevan served him and would not attack her master.

How long had it been since he had been touched?

_39. Taste_

Like Eve with the apple, that one taste of the forbidden fruit had doomed him. He'd licked the dribbling juice from one of his fingers and then been unable to stop himself from devouring the entire thing, his lust for the fruit turning into physical lust.

Thus ensnared, the door opened for him, spider welcoming the fly.

What a sight he must have been, panting, falling to his knees, arousal obvious in his tight pants. He'd offered no resistance, on the contrary, he'd scrambled desperately to help her remove his clothes, whimpered for her as though he was the whore.

_40. Sight – Set in the ficverse of my Angel Saga, but not canon to it._

Demons terrified him now. Trish was accepted because of her resemblance to Eva, but the only other one he could tolerate was Nevan. Dante hadn't wanted to expose him to her, but she had insisted on being given a try, since they couldn't afford to have only two people taking care of him when he needed constant attendance.

At first, his reaction had been typical, curling into a ball at the sight of her, but with soft sounds and body language she'd managed to soothe him: finally he curled up surrounded by her bats, another child in her charge.

Perfect.


	34. Vergil & Trish

_Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry: Capcom does and they have all the money._

_Trish/Vergil – _

_87. Life_

So here they were now, free under the so blue sky that was over them no different, the two that had met in the red hell, where they had been slaves.

Mundus was dead and they were still alive, miracle of miracles. Dante celebrated too, it was all thanks to him, but he didn't understand.

He'd been hurt by Mundus. He hadn't been tortured by him. He didn't know the bonds forged by suffering. The only one who understood was the other. They didn't talk about it, but knew.

The other's survival was proof they were alive. Trish, Nelo Angelo.

_88. He_

He didn't like the darkness. His techniques were showy, creating as much light as possible, Yamato rarely drawn as he relied on borrowed Beowulf.

She watched him fight and wondered what he had been like when he had chased the title of dark knight: the title they both knew was Dante's alone now.

He didn't like admitting weakness, but she always knew. He knew hers as well.

He knew he was falling in love with the one who had comforted him in his hell.

He told himself it was only her resemblance to the other one he loved. The other?

_89. She_

She loved fighting. She hadn't ever really hurt Dante and she'd help kick Mundus' ass: there were no bad memories. She knew he watched when she sparred.

He watched her fight and wondered how that lithe body would feel against him, wanted to bury himself in her and knew that would kill the nightmares.

She knew he was stronger than her, and she wanted to help him grow.

She didn't like that he sidestepped her advances, her attempts to show.

She told him that she wasn't Eva, that he wanted her more than he did the other.

Her Vergil, now.

_90. It_

Little white-haired bundle of joy and loud noises and bad smells.

The most perfect, adorable thing in the world.

They had nightmares, they both did, human enough to dream.

What happened to them would never happen to their baby.

A reason to go out each night, to fight on and on.

They would create a world in which no one had to fear the darkness they had come out of. Their child would grow up safe, and happy, and sleep in their bed if there were nightmares, for they would make the nightmares go away.

It would all be okay.


	35. Dante & Trish

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit. _

_This is part of my general series claim at drabbles100 on livejournal. Theme of set from janegray._

_Dante/Trish -_

_56. Breakfast_

"Uh, Trish…" Dante pointed at the remains of her breakfast: bowl left on the table with milk in the bottom, droplets and flakes spread everywhere (the result of her gobbling and inexperience with spoons).

"What, Dante?" Trish blinked at him, looking at the mess and back at him with no idea what the point was.

"Aren't you going to clean that up?"

She blinked at him. "That's what servant demons are for." She whistled. "Here, Cerberus!"

Cerberus was delighted with the unexpected treat, wolfing it down. Which was going to make it even harder to explain that wasn't the _point. _

_57. Lunch_

At least breakfast had forewarned him that it wouldn't be a good idea for Trish to eat in a restaurant. So he got hot dogs from a cart and they ate them in a pretty park.

Or, he ate. Trish? Swallowed. Like snakes did. Had she even unhinged her jaw? He watched as she did it again.

And there went the third one. She caught him watching her. "What?"

"Trish, usually you chew your food before you swallow."

"Why?"

"So you don't choke on it."

"I won't choke." She looked back to the sky.

"Trish, that's not the point." Okay…

_58. Dinner_

Dante was having a very serious case of reverse déjà vu, although in his memories his mother had been the one standing here and being firm and he had been the one in the chair proclaiming that it made absolutely no difference if the inside or outside fork was used, or even if hands were used to eat.

And that the salad was rabbit food and was not going to be eaten period, let alone with the proper fork.

Although he hadn't dared suggest that his mother stick the fork in question where the sun didn't shine. _That_ was Trish.

_59. Food_

"Trish, leave that alone." Dante grimaced. Ew.

Trish looked up from the Blade carcass she had been tearing a strip from. "But there's good meat on these things." She blinked. "You mean you're just going to let it disintegrate? There are starving spawn in the lower levels," she admonished him.

"Trish, it's not about making sense. It's about acting human. And humans don't eat demons."

"Why not? We eat them." It was only fair.

"Uh, _we_ don't. And don't talk about eating humans."

"I wouldn't eat them."

Phew.

"All the humans I've seen have been too fat to eat." Ew.

_60. Drink_

Alcohol was, in reality, half-digested sugar. Just like cellulose, the building material of plant cells, was actually a sugar. Humans couldn't digest them. A hungry demon, however, could and would eat anything containing energy: for instance, Ifrit had a taste for coal.

It was just… weird, to see the seemingly-human Trish chugging down a quart of oil and proclaiming that it tasted even better than soda.

"Hey, stop that! That's for my motorcycle!" Dante snatched it away.

"You mean the one you shot up?"

"That's not the point!" He was wondering if _he_ was the one turning into his Mom.


	36. Vergil & Lucia

_Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry. _

_These drabbles are part of my claim at drabbles100. Centuries is still closed to requests, I'm just posting this here as it goes nowhere else and isn't a story of its own. Other themes from Darkmanifest._

_Vergil/Lucia – _

_31. Sunrise – By the sword/bushido_

She bore two blades, and he was struck by the memory of holding Yamato and Force Edge (the one he had inherited, the one he had no right to), and even though the red and white were reversed she still bore those colors.

For a moment he was trapped in memory of his dishonor, then she tilted a blade, reflecting new light, inviting an attack: an opening, not Dante's taunt.

Lucia wasn't one to mock her opponents, as much as he felt he deserved mockery. Nor was she one to attack a distracted opponent.

He wished he'd been that honorable.

_32. Sunset – Pride before the fall_

As much as they once would have wanted to claim nothing in common, the parallels were inescapable.

She had challenged Arius, and fallen. He had challenged Mundus. The difference? Dante had caught her.

He knew that was Dante, with his obsession with protecting the weak humans (especially women), and that it was perhaps a mark of respect that he had not left it all behind to save Vergil, had left Vergil to fight his own battles.

Lucia had been denied the opportunity to fight her final battle.

They knew it was wrong, to resent their beloved savior: a shared shame.

_33. Too Much – You wreck me_

Even though he had been born of the flesh of his too-human mother, raised by her, and Lucia had been born of twisted magic and science and then raised as what she was: a hybrid, she seemed the more human of the two of them.

They normally knew where the line was, how much they could share, say, reveal in a sitting before they had to change the subject.

Sometimes, though, they let too much slip and then Lucia, whose demon-red hair branded her the more unnatural, was the one to break down and cry. Over Vergil!

He hated it.

_34. Not Enough – Mother's Betrayal_

Dante had always been Eva's favorite. Why? Vergil had tried so hard to be just like Father, but he had failed and Dante had taken his place, his inheritance. He was the eldest, he should have been the one to fulfill his father's legacy.

Lucia had resented Dante before she saw him. This land was _hers_ to protect. Why had Matier called in this outsider? Why did Matier not trust her with the truth? If she had known, then she could have done something!

They had never been good enough for them. They weren't even good enough for each other.


End file.
